Andrew Tulloch, former co-founder of Thinking Machines Lab, has taken up a new role at Meta. This step represents the biggest change to the tech ecosystem. Tulloch’s departure comes after an intense corporate conversion campaign by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg. He has stepped up his efforts to woo artificial intelligence (AI) researchers.
Tulloch, before joining Meta, was on the forefront of AI developments at both OpenAI and Facebook’s AI Research Group. His expertise at these prestigious nonprofits have made him a nationally recognized leader in the field of AI. The Wall Street Journal reported in August that Zuckerberg initiated a strategic recruitment blitz to attract top AI professionals, underscoring the tech giant’s commitment to expanding its AI capabilities.
The bold pursuit of talent even involved an effort to poach Thinking Machines Lab, where Tulloch was instrumental in their development. This acquisition ultimately fell through. True to form, despite this disappointment, Zuckerberg didn’t give up on getting Tulloch’s brain. After his initial failed attempt at an acquisition, he dangled an extraordinary Tulloch-sized carrot with a generous compensation package. This agreement has a potential value of $1.5 billion over six years.
This giant deal provides a stark picture of Zuckerberg’s drive to further Meta’s place in the AI space, as tech competition intensifies. This is a huge recruitment win for Meta, as Tulloch will help lead its innovation and development in artificial intelligence. This realm has emerged as the key battleground between all the major tech players.
