Silicon Valley trades researchers like football teams poach players

The tech industry is engaged in a fierce competition to attract top artificial intelligence (AI) researchers, offering them staggering salaries and signing bonuses. These highly sought-after individuals, often equipped with PhDs in computer science, are being described as "talent" or "AI superathletes" who command athlete-level pay. Tech companies are driven by the goal of developing AI technology that can outperform humans in any task, known as "artificial general intelligence," or create AI models that surpass human intelligence overall, referred to as "superintelligence." This high-stakes race for AI dominance has led to a bidding war, with tech giants offering these researchers massive financial incentives to join their teams. The article highlights the intense competition and the extraordinary compensation packages being offered to attract the top minds in the field of AI, as tech companies strive to gain a competitive edge in this rapidly evolving and crucial technological landscape.