Archive · 7 Aug 2025
Meta's Recruitment Efforts After Failed AI Startup Acquisition
Meta, the company that owns Facebook, wanted to buy a small AI company called Thinking Machines Lab.
When the founder said no, Meta tried to hire away her employees by offering them lots of money and stock.
One employee was offered a package worth up to $1.5 billion!
However, no one at Thinking Machines Lab took the offers.
Meta is trying to catch up in the AI race, so they are trying to hire experts from other companies like OpenAI and Anthropic.
The head of Meta's AI team is Shengjia Zhao, who used to work at OpenAI.
Meta denies some details of the story.
Mark Zuckerberg offered to buy Thinking Machines Lab, which was declined.
Meta reportedly offered high-value compensation packages to Thinking Machines Lab employees.
None of the Thinking Machines Lab employees accepted Meta's offers.
Meta's spokesperson disputed the details of the offers.
Meta has recruited from OpenAI and Anthropic to boost its AI capabilities.
- Who
- Mark Zuckerberg, Mira Murati, Andrew Tulloch, Shengjia Zhao, and employees from Thinking Machines Lab, OpenAI, and Anthropic.
- What
- Meta attempted to acquire Thinking Machines Lab and then tried to hire its employees after the acquisition was rejected.
- When
- Recent events as reported by The Wall Street Journal and Wired.
- Where
- Meta's operations and various AI companies.
- Why
- Meta is attempting to strengthen its AI capabilities and catch up in the generative AI race.
Thinking Machines Lab's Perspective
Meta's Perspective
Acquisition and Hiring Offers
Thinking Machines Lab's Perspective
The startup's founder Mira Murati rejected Meta's acquisition offer.
Meta's Perspective
Meta denies details of the offers and portrays them as inaccurate.
- Company CEO
- Mark Zuckerberg
- Target Startup
- Thinking Machines Lab
- Former CTO of OpenAI
- Mira Murati
- Compensation Package Example
- Up to $1.5 billion over six years
- Meta's AI Leader
- Shengjia Zhao
- Meta Spokesperson
- Andy Stone
