An Australian artificial intelligence expert has reportedly turned down a massive offer from Meta, the tech company led by billionaire Mark Zuckerberg.
Andrew Tulloch, who studied at the University of Sydney and grew up in Perth, has worked in top AI roles for years. He spent over a decade at Facebook’s parent company before switching to OpenAI, the research group behind ChatGPT.
In February, Tulloch co-founded an AI company called Thinking Machines Lab with Mira Murati, the former Chief Technology Officer of OpenAI. The company is already worth around US$12 billion (about A$18.5 billion), even though it’s still very new.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Zuckerberg attempted to buy Thinking Machines Lab earlier in the year, but Murati refused. After that, Meta tried to recruit top talent from the start-up, including Tulloch.
Reports say Meta offered Tulloch a pay deal worth US$1 billion (A$1.55 billion), spread over six years, with chances for even more money through bonuses and stock. Despite the large sum, Tulloch declined the offer. Meta later denied the figure, calling it “inaccurate and ridiculous.”
Tulloch moved to the United States in 2012 and spent 11 years at Facebook’s AI division. He rose to the high-ranking role of distinguished engineer.
A former Facebook executive, Mike Vernal, described Tulloch as someone widely recognized for his brilliance in the field.
In 2023, Tulloch joined OpenAI and later helped start Thinking Machines Lab. The new company focuses on making AI easier to understand, more flexible, and capable of handling a wide range of tasks.
