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The global battle for AI talent is intensifying, with giants

Date锛�2025-03-26 12:08Editer锛歛dminRead锛�锛�

At present, artificial intelligence (AI) technology is developing rapidly, AI  Talent has become a scarce resource for global technology companies to compete for, and a fierce battle for AI talent is unfolding worldwide. Tesla CEO Musk once expressed his admiration in a post, stating that the AI talent battle is the craziest tech talent battle he has ever seen, and with more companies entering the market, this competition is unlikely to ease in the short term. 鈥�
American companies showcase their unique strategies to compete for AI talent
Fortune magazine found that, OpenAI銆� Google Meta  Large tech companies such as Amazon, as well as well as well as well as well funded startups like Musk's xAI, are all competing for AI talent. In order to stand out in the competition, companies are exerting all their efforts. 鈥�
In terms of salary and benefits, the AI boom in large technology companies has pushed the salaries of top researchers to new highs. Venture capitalist Tim Tully said, D  The stock options given to AI scientists by startups in a round of funding could reach $2 million to $4 million, which was unimaginable in the past. Garrett Gentry, who has worked in AI talent recruitment, revealed that many startups set a basic salary package of $250000 for AI talents, with some even reaching up to $350000, which is equivalent to the salary level of a doctoral graduate working in a large technology company laboratory for 5 years. In addition, some unlisted companies allow employees to directly exchange their dry shares for cash in order to compete with listed tech giants, and OpenAI has adopted this approach. 鈥�
In addition to the temptation of money, the appeal of industry leaders should not be underestimated. After former OpenAI Chief Technology Officer Murati resigned to establish the "Thinking Machine Lab", it attracted about 20 OpenAI employees to join in just a few months. At the same time, enterprises are increasingly focusing on creating a suitable cultural environment for talents and endowing them with a sense of mission. AI video startup CEO Barella pointed out that this is crucial for attracting excellent AI talent. Peter Sarin, founder of European AI startup Silo AI, also stated that talented people are eager to work with other outstanding talents, and it is equally important for companies to provide challenging and attractive projects. 鈥�
Tech giants digging at the bottom of the wall, triggering public attention
With the increasingly fierce competition for AI talent, it is not uncommon for tech giants to personally recruit and even poach competitors. According to The Information, a US technology news website, Meta  CEO Mark Zuckerberg personally sent an email to AI researchers at Google's DeepMind, introducing Meta's emphasis on AI development and inviting them to switch jobs. In addition, Zuckerberg has also revised the company's recruitment policy, relaxed salary restrictions, and even issued job offers to candidates without an interview. 鈥�
Digging at the foot of the wall is not a patent of Meta alone. The Financial Times reported that Apple poached dozens of AI experts from Google to enhance its own AI capabilities. Companies such as Microsoft, Google, and Amazon are even more innovative in poaching top AI talents through strategic licensing deals and partnerships, bypassing traditional acquisition methods and regulatory scrutiny. However, the fierce competition for talent among American technology companies has attracted public attention, with Democratic Senator Viton leading the call to pay attention to the phenomenon of large technology companies poaching people from small AI enterprises. 鈥�
Europe becomes a net exporter of AI talent, with severe talent shortage
AI  The competition for talent not only troubles startups and small companies, but also the European technology industry is facing difficulties and gradually becoming a "net exporter" of AI talent. According to a study by the German Institute for Economic Research (IW), the number of job advertisements for AI developers in Germany increased from 23000 per quarter to 37000 per quarter from 2019 to 2024, but the shortage of talent remains prominent. The average annual salary of German AI experts is 67000 euros, which is significantly lower than that of the United States. 鈥�
According to Zeki's "2024 AI Talent Status Report," many European countries are net exporters of AI talent, while the United States is the largest net importer. The United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia have also successfully attracted numerous AI experts. The head of a German company stated that they recruit and cultivate AI talents through a combination of headhunting recruitment and internal training. Due to a shortage of market experts and difficulty in competing with American companies in terms of salary, newly recruited experts also need to serve as mentors for other employees. However, due to factors such as the domestic situation in the United States and the trade war, some AI experts working in the United States have chosen to leave, and European companies are actively accepting these talents. 鈥�
Global top AI experts are scarce, and there is a huge talent gap
According to Forbes magazine, since 2019, the number of global AI skilled job openings has grown by 21% annually, far exceeding the speed of AI talent supply. Meanwhile, the salaries of AI professionals are increasing by 11% annually, far exceeding the global nominal wage growth rate. According to a survey by Bain&Company, 44% of corporate executives believe that a lack of internal expertise or resources is the biggest obstacle to rapidly advancing generative AI. The current or expected number of AI skilled personnel in the United States is only about half of the number needed by 2027, requiring training of approximately 500000 to 750000 employees. 鈥�
Fortune magazine pointed out that the world's top AI experts are scarce resources, with a total of less than 1000 people. The Teal website in the United States profiles AI researchers who are active in cutting-edge AI fields, integrate knowledge from multiple fields, apply rigorous research methods, and tackle complex problems. Pan Helin, a member of the Information and Communication Economy Expert Committee of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, stated that the development of AI relies on algorithms, computing power, and data, with talent behind algorithms. Due to the limited total talent pool, the number of AI companies continues to increase, resulting in a shortage of talent. In addition, the current talent cultivation system is disconnected from market demand, and AI talents need to have the ability to transform technology into tools. 鈥�
Despite fierce competition for AI talent, The Economist in the UK points out that the supply of AI talent is growing. According to a report from Stanford University, in 2011, about 41% of AI PhDs worked in enterprises, which is comparable to the proportion working in academia; By 2022, the proportion of AI PhDs working in the corporate sector will increase to 71%, while in academia it will decrease to 20%. More and more undergraduate programs are offering AI related courses, increasing efforts to cultivate AI talents. 鈥�