Meta Platforms Inc (NASDAQ:META, ETR:FB2A, SWX:FB) has hired two senior artificial intelligence researchers, Mark Lee and Tom Gunter, who previously worked at Apple, continuing a wave of high-profile AI talent moves, according to Bloomberg.
The pair had reported to Ruoming Pang, head of Apple’s large language model efforts, whom Meta recently lured with a multiyear compensation package reportedly worth over $200 million.
Gunter, once a distinguished engineer at Apple, briefly joined another AI firm before agreeing to join Meta’s Superintelligence Labs.
These hires come amid growing instability within Apple’s AI division, with leadership considering third-party models like OpenAI’s ChatGPT to support future Siri features.
Meta, meanwhile, has seized the moment, offering lucrative packages to attract top researchers.
Some at Apple have received counteroffers, but they are said to fall short of Meta’s terms.
CEO Mark Zuckerberg has declared AI his top priority, pledging vast investment in computing power and talent to compete with rivals such as OpenAI and Google.