An Australian tech start-up worker has reportedly rejected a US$1bn (€860m) pay package from Mark Zuckerberg to join Meta, made as part of an aggressive recruitment drive for AI experts, writes Charlotte McIntyre.
Andrew Tulloch, a University of Sydney graduate, spent more than a decade working at Facebook’s parent company before joining rival OpenAI.
In February, he co-founded AI start-up Thinking Machines Lab with former OpenAI chief technology officer Mira Murati.
The company is now reportedly valued at $12bn (€10.4bn).
Mr Zuckerberg, who owns Meta, tried to buy Thinking Machines Lab earlier this year, but Mr Murati rejected his offer, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Meta’s chief executive then attempted to lure Mr Tulloch, who was offered $1bn spread over six years, with the potential for even more through bonuses and stock performance.
But the Perth-born “genius” turned the offer down.
Meta later told the Journal the reported $1bn figure was “inaccurate and ridiculous”.
Mr Tulloch moved to the US in 2012 and spent 11 years at Facebook’s AI company, where he rose to the role of distinguished engineer.
Mike Vernal, a former Facebook executive, who worked with Mr Tulloch, said: “He was definitely known as an extreme genius.”
In 2023, he moved to OpenAI, the organisation behind ChatGPT, before joining former colleagues in forming Thinking Machines Lab this year.
Mr Tulloch was a vice captain at Christ Church Grammar in Claremont, Western Australia.
He graduated with first-class honours and the university medal in mathematics in 2011.
He worked at Goldman Sachs while at the University of Cambridge.
He also completed a Master’s in mathematical statistics and machine learning.
Meta has a history of trying to poach rivals’ employees.
In June, OpenAI boss Sam Altman said Meta had offered $100m bonuses to his staff in a failed bid to get talent to switch teams.
“I’m really happy that at least so far none of our best people have decided to take them up on that,” he said.
Sources said Meta approached at least a dozen employees at Thinking Machines Lab earlier this year in an aggressive talent raid.
Photo: Andrew Tulloch
