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Ruoming Pang, Ex-Apple, Enters Meta Team With Salary Over US$ 200 Million in New AI Division Led by Alexandr Wang
In the global competition for talent in artificial intelligence, Meta has taken a bold step by hiring an engineer. Mark Zuckerberg’s company hired Ruoming Pang, an AI expert who previously worked at Apple, with a salary package that could exceed US$ 200 million over several years.
The move is impressive not only for the amount but also for the clear signal that Meta is determined to lead the new era of superintelligent AI.
Billion-Dollar Recruitment
Ruoming Pang’s name gained prominence following the release of a report detailing the million-dollar deal. Of Chinese descent, Pang will join a new and discreet laboratory at Meta focused on superintelligence, reportedly based in California.
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The amount promised to him — over US$ 200 million — is considered one of the largest ever offered for a corporate position, even surpassing packages of many CEOs at major banks. The compensation, according to the report, will be distributed over “several years” and is linked to performance and retention goals.
This means that Pang will only have full access to the amount if he meets the requirements and stays at Meta long enough. Still, even partially, the amount places him among the highest-paid engineers in the world.
From Princeton to the Secret Laboratory
Ruoming Pang’s journey is extensive. He holds a degree in computer science from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, a master’s from the University of Southern California, and a doctorate from Princeton University.
After completing his studies, Pang spent 15 years at Google, serving as a senior software engineer. In 2021, he was hired by Apple, where he led a team specializing in artificial intelligence models.
Now, he joins the elite group of experts involved in Meta’s new secret project. The company’s superintelligence laboratory already houses several former employees of OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT.
Meta Accelerates AI Race
The package offered to Pang is not an isolated case. Meta is heavily investing in recruiting talent. Other recent names include Nat Friedman, former CEO of GitHub, and Shuchao Bi, former Google employee and co-creator of YouTube Shorts.
According to reports from Bloomberg and Reuters, Meta has reorganized its AI initiatives into a new division called Meta Superintelligence Labs. The leadership of the group will be in the hands of Alexandr Wang, former CEO of Scale AI.
The division’s focus will be to develop AI systems capable of performing tasks with the same — or greater — precision as humans. Meta aims to stay ahead of rivals like Google, OpenAI, and Anthropic, which are also heavily investing in the sector.
AI Already Present on WhatsApp and Instagram
Meanwhile, users are already beginning to notice changes to Meta’s products. The company recently launched the Meta AI button on WhatsApp. It allows users to start conversations with a chatbot that answers questions about news, weather, sports, and other topics.
The button is also available on Facebook, Messenger, and Instagram. To access it, simply tap the ring-shaped blue and purple icon.
Although visible in the interface, Meta states that the button is optional. Users are not required to use it. Additionally, a new feature called Private Processing is set to be incorporated into WhatsApp, offering writing suggestions and summaries powered by AI technology.
Million-Dollar Offer Signals New Moment
The hiring of Ruoming Pang and the amounts involved highlight how intense the race for artificial intelligence has become. According to the report, even Apple did not attempt to match Meta’s offer, despite Pang being the head of a strategic area there.
Meta, for its part, shows that it is willing to spend big to attract the best professionals. And the strategy seems clear: to build the strongest possible team to lead the next phase of the technological revolution.
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