Meta is going all-in on artificial intelligence and is backing that ambition with serious compensation. Recent U.S. federal filings reveal that the tech giant is offering up to $440,000 (around ₹3.76 crore) in base salary alone to its top AI research engineers. These figures don't even include bonuses, stock options, or other perks, underscoring just how competitive the AI talent market has become.

This salary data comes from documents Meta filed under the H-1B visa programme, a process that mandates salary disclosure when U.S. companies sponsor foreign skilled workers. The programme allows 85,000 professionals to enter the U.S. workforce annually and is a key window into what top tech firms are paying to lure global talent.

As reported by Business Insider, Meta isn't just rewarding AI talent generously. Software engineers at the company can make as much as $480,000 annually in base salary, while roles like machine learning engineers have pay ranges between $165,000 and $440,000. Similarly, senior research scientists and technical program managers at Meta often draw upwards of $230,000.

Crucially, these numbers don’t account for restricted stock units (RSUs) or performance bonuses, which are a major part of the overall compensation package, especially for AI and technical leadership roles at top-tier firms like Meta.

The filings also highlight substantial compensation for other roles within Meta’s tech ecosystem. Data science managers earn between $248,000 and $320,000, and product managers, UX designers, and researchers all earn six-figure base salaries.

While Meta's numbers are striking, it's not the only player offering sky-high compensation. Thinking Machines Lab, a stealth startup founded by former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati, is reportedly offering base salaries of up to $500,000 — all before even launching a product.

As AI becomes the battleground for future tech dominance, the race for talent is clearly heating up — and Meta is willing to pay top dollar to lead the charge.