In a significant talent acquisition move, Meta has reportedly hired Ruoming Pang, a former Apple AI expert, offering him a compensation package valued at approximately $200 million. The high-profile hiring has sparked conversation across the global tech community and raised eyebrows over the intensifying race for top AI talent among big tech companies.
Pang’s Move Signals AI Talent War
Ruoming Pang, a seasoned engineer and former senior manager at Apple, was instrumental in developing AI models related to Siri and large-scale language processing during his tenure. His work focused on machine learning infrastructure, privacy-preserving models, and natural language understanding—skills that align closely with Meta’s ongoing investment in generative AI and foundation models.
According to multiple reports, Pang will join Meta's AI division, which has been scaling up its efforts across various product lines—from Meta Llama and smart assistants to AI agents integrated into messaging apps and AR/VR systems.
While neither Meta nor Pang has made an official statement on the compensation details, sources cited in Business Standard, Economic Times, and Entrepreneur indicate that the package may include equity, bonuses, and performance incentives spread over several years. The $200 million figure, if accurate, marks one of the largest known pay packages offered to an individual AI expert in recent times.
Meta’s Broader AI Vision
The hiring comes amid Meta's aggressive AI push, as it continues to compete with the likes of Google, OpenAI, Apple, and Amazon in building advanced language models and integrating them across its platforms. Meta has publicly emphasized its goal to create general-purpose AI systems that can power everything from ad targeting and content recommendation to virtual assistants and immersive digital environments.
Mark Zuckerberg recently highlighted that Meta is working toward developing AI agents that can reason, plan, and assist users across both professional and social use cases. Experts suggest that Ruoming Pang’s expertise in both applied research and product engineering could help Meta advance its foundation model architecture and fine-tuning systems.
Apple’s AI Strategy and Competitive Landscape
Pang’s exit also sheds light on Apple’s comparatively quieter approach to AI development. While Apple has made strategic AI investments—particularly in on-device processing and privacy-led ML architecture—it has generally stayed away from the publicity arms race surrounding generative AI.
However, the departure of a senior-level AI engineer to a rival may prompt Apple to reassess its AI roadmap and talent retention strategies. Analysts note that the broader competition for AI talent has led to skyrocketing salaries, stock grants, and team acquisitions in Silicon Valley, as companies position themselves to dominate the next wave of consumer and enterprise technologies.
Industry Reaction
The reported compensation has triggered widespread reactions across the tech industry and social media. Some have praised Meta’s bold move to secure rare talent in a hot market, while others have criticized the scale of spending amid ongoing layoffs and budget constraints in other tech sectors.
“There’s a shortage of people who can actually build, scale, and productize foundational AI systems,” said a senior AI recruiter on condition of anonymity. “Meta is betting big—and fast—on becoming the AI platform of choice for consumers and businesses alike.”
Industry watchers also point to a growing trend where individual engineers, researchers, and scientists are commanding venture-scale valuations in terms of compensation, given the disproportionate impact they can have on product innovation and competitiveness.