The global race for AI talent has reached a new milestone. Andrew Tulloch, co-founder of Thinking Machines Lab — the artificial intelligence startup launched by former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati — is reportedly joining Meta in a deal valued up to $1.5 billion over six years.

According to reports from Reuters and TechCrunch, the package includes a mix of equity, long-term performance incentives, and milestone-based bonuses, making it one of the largest individual compensation deals in AI history.

Who Is Andrew Tulloch?

Andrew Tulloch has been a prominent figure in the AI research community, known for his contributions to machine-learning infrastructure and model optimization. At Thinking Machines Lab, Tulloch helped design large-scale training systems for foundation models that rival leading platforms like GPT, Claude, and Gemini.

His decision to join Meta comes just months after the company made multiple attempts to acquire Thinking Machines Lab outright — a bid that was declined. Following the rejection, Meta reportedly shifted its strategy toward directly recruiting key technical leaders from the startup.

Why Meta Is Paying Billions for Talent

Meta’s AI division, led by Mark Zuckerberg’s ambitious push into open-source LLMs and AI-powered platforms like LLaMA and Meta Agents, is scaling aggressively.

The company views strategic hires like Tulloch as essential to building next-generation AI infrastructure capable of competing with OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google DeepMind.

“This is not just a hire — it’s an arms-race move,” says a senior analyst at C# Corner Research. “Meta isn’t just buying code — it’s buying capability, speed, and leadership.”

The $1.5 Billion Question

While headlines tout the $1.5 billion number, sources emphasize that the valuation represents a maximum projected value over multiple years — assuming Meta’s stock appreciates and Tulloch hits all AI delivery milestones.

Even so, the deal sets a precedent for how far Big Tech is willing to go to lock in top AI engineers and founders — even from companies they can’t buy.

This also highlights the escalating compensation inflation across Silicon Valley, where AI specialists now command packages previously reserved for CEOs.

What It Means for AI Startups

For Thinking Machines Lab, Tulloch’s exit is both a validation and a challenge. The startup now faces the test of retaining its remaining technical leadership while fending off future poaching.

For the wider ecosystem, it underscores a harsh reality — AI talent is now as valuable as capital, and startups without long-term equity and mission alignment may struggle to compete.

“AI has entered its gold-rush phase,” says Mahesh Chand, Founder of C# Corner. “Just like the early Internet era, the biggest winners won’t necessarily be those with the best tech — but those who can attract and keep the best people.”

Meta’s Bigger Bet

Meta’s broader AI vision extends beyond LLMs. The company is heavily investing in AI-powered assistants, metaverse simulation agents, and developer-driven AI frameworks — areas that align with Tulloch’s background in scalable machine learning systems.

With this move, Meta sends a clear message to the industry: the era of billion-dollar AI talent has arrived, and every major player will need to rethink how it competes — not just for users, but for the engineers who build the future.