An Australian AI expert has reportedly walked away from a staggering billion-dollar offer from Mark Zuckerberg's Meta.
Not many of us would turn down the opportunity to work for a major corporation in return for a heap of cash. But when you're sitting on a company valued at $18.5 billion, even Mark Zuckerberg's money might not be enough to tempt you.
Andrew Tulloch, a Perth-born AI expert, reportedly rejected a staggering $1.55 billion pay package from Meta earlier this year. And now, his LinkedIn profile has gone viral as a result.
Tulloch achieved a near-perfect ATAR of 99.95 in 2007, before graduating with first-class honours and the university medal in mathematics from the University of Sydney in 2011, posting the highest GPA in the Faculty of Science.
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His journey to AI stardom involved working as a quantitative analyst at Goldman Sachs while studying at Cambridge, where he completed a master's degree in mathematical statistics and machine learning.
After moving to the US in 2012, Tulloch spent 11 years at Facebook's AI division, eventually reaching the role of distinguished engineer, that would make him a target for Meta's billion-dollar recruitment efforts.
A former Facebook executive who worked with Tulloch described him as 'definitely known as an extreme genius.'
But in 2023, he made the jump to rival OpenAI before co-founding his own venture, Thinking Machines Lab, alongside former OpenAI chief technology officer Mira Murati in February.
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The start-up claims to be 'an artificial intelligence research and product company.'
The official website for Thinking Machines Lab reads: "We're building a future where everyone has access to the knowledge and tools to make AI work for their unique needs and goals."
Thinking Machines Lab is now reportedly valued at US$12 billion (A$18.5 billion).
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According to the Wall Street Journal, Zuckerberg initially tried to acquire Thinking Machines Lab outright, but Murati dismissed the offer. When that failed, Meta's CEO shifted tactics and went after the startup's key players individually.
Tulloch allegedly found himself the target of an extraordinary recruitment pitch - a $1 billion (A$1.55 billion) package spread over six years, with additional potential earnings through bonuses and stock performance.
However, Tulloch turned the offer down and Meta later disputed the reported figure, calling it 'inaccurate and ridiculous,' but didn't provide alternative numbers.
Zuckerberg has made aggressive moves to poach employees from competitors, with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman revealing in June that Meta offered US$100million ($155 million) bonuses to his staff in unsuccessful recruitment attempts.
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"I'm really happy that at least so far none of our best people have decided to take them up on that," Altman said.
Sources suggest that Meta executives approached at least a dozen employees from Thinking Machines Lab earlier this year in what appears to be a talent raid. So far, none have accepted the offers.