AI Genius Rejects $1B Offer from Zuckerberg

An Australian artificial intelligence expert has reportedly turned down a staggering billion-dollar offer from Mark Zuckerberg's Meta.

Andrew Tulloch, a University of Sydney graduate who grew up in Perth, spent more than a decade working at Facebook's parent company before joining rival OpenAI.

In February, Tulloch co-founded AI start-up Thinking Machines Lab with former OpenAI chief technology officer Mira Murati. The company is now reportedly valued at US$12 billion (A$18.5 billion).

According to the Wall Street Journal, Zuckerberg tried to buy Thinking Machines Lab earlier this year, but Murati rejected his offer. Meta's CEO then attempted to lure the company's top talent, including Tulloch.

Tulloch was allegedly offered a US$1 billion (A$1.55 billion) pay package spread over six years, with the potential for even more through bonuses and stock performance.

However, the Perth-born 'genius' turned the offer down. Meta later told the Journal the reported US$1 billion figure was 'inaccurate and ridiculous'.

Mr Tulloch moved to the US in 2012 and spent 11 years at Facebook's AI company, where he rose to the role of distinguished engineer.

Mike Vernal, a former Facebook executive who worked with Mr Tulloch, said: 'He was definitely known as an extreme genius.'

In 2023, he moved to OpenAI, the research organisation behind ChatGPT, before joining former colleagues in forming Thinking Machines Lab this year.

The start-up cites its mission of making 'AI systems more widely understood, customizable and generally capable'.

Mr Tulloch was a vice captain at Christ Church Grammar in Claremont, Western Australia.

He achieved an ATAR of 99.95 in 2007 before graduating with first class honours and the university medal in mathematics at university in 2011.

He graduated with the highest GPA in the Faculty of Science.

The Australian worked at Goldman Sachs as a quant while studying at the University of Cambridge.

He completed a masters in mathematical statistics and machine learning before embarking on his career in AI.

Zuckerberg has a history of attempting to poach rival companies' employees.

OpenAI boss Sam Altman revealed in June Meta had offered US$100million bonuses ($155million) to his staff in an unsuccessful bid to convince talent to switch teams.

'I'm really happy that at least so far none of our best people have decided to take them up on that,' he said.