Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the significant salary package offered by Meta to Pang Ruoming, the head of Apple's foundational model team, highlighting the competitive nature of talent acquisition in the AI industry and the implications for both companies and the broader market [1][6][8]. Group 1: Salary Package Details - Pang Ruoming's total compensation package from Meta is reported to be around $200 million, equivalent to approximately 1.4 billion RMB [2][4]. - This package includes base salary, signing bonuses, and stock options that are unlocked over a period, rather than being a straightforward annual salary [4][9]. - The compensation is notably high, with only Apple's CEO Tim Cook being able to match it within the company, indicating the extreme competitiveness in attracting top AI talent [3][8]. Group 2: Talent Acquisition Strategies - Meta's approach to hiring top AI talent involves aggressive offers with minimal time for consideration, likened to a "limited-time auction" to encourage quick acceptance [5][10]. - Previous high-profile hires, such as Yu Jiahui from OpenAI, received substantial packages, further illustrating the trend of escalating compensation in the AI sector [5][8]. - The article suggests that Meta's strategy may disrupt internal company cultures, as the disparity in compensation can lead to dissatisfaction among existing employees [12][14]. Group 3: Industry Context - The salary levels at Meta's "superintelligent laboratory" are significantly higher than those for other engineering positions within the company and compared to typical Silicon Valley salaries [19][25]. - For instance, the highest-paid software engineers at Meta earn around $480,000 annually, while the average salary for AI research scientists ranges from $170,000 to $230,000 [16][18]. - In contrast, Google's software engineers earn approximately $340,000, with research scientists being among the highest earners [22][24]. Group 4: Pang Ruoming's Background - Pang Ruoming has an impressive background, having graduated from Shanghai Jiao Tong University and holding advanced degrees from USC and Princeton [29][30]. - He previously worked at Google for 15 years, where he contributed to significant projects that enhanced Google's data systems and machine learning frameworks [31][34]. - His leadership at Apple involved overseeing a team of around 100 people focused on developing core AI models, which are crucial for Apple's AI functionalities [43][46].