Mark Zuckerberg meets 24-year-old AI researcher who rejected Meta’s $125 million job offer, and then …

Mark Zuckerberg and Meta’s aggressive push to lead the AI race has reportedly led to a recruitment of a 24-year-old AI researcher. According to a report by The New York Times, Matt Deitke initially rejected Meta’s $125 million offer, prompting Zuckerberg to meet him personally. After the meeting, Meta sealed the deal with a revised four-year compensation package reportedly worth up to $250 million in stock and cash.

Citing two sources familiar with the talks, the New York Times report noted that Deitke preferred to continue with his newly founded startup, Vercept after $125 million was offered to him. Zuckerberg personally reached out to him for a meeting. After their conversation, Meta returned with a revised offer that doubled the original, including a potential $100 million to be paid in the first year alone.