Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman has stated that the company will not match the soaring compensation packages being offered by rivals like Meta in the ongoing battle for top AI talent. Speaking on the Bloomberg Podcasts, Suleyman acknowledged the intense competition but emphasized that Microsoft’s strategy differs from that of other tech giants. He dismissed the notion that companies should compete by offering multimillion-dollar signing bonuses, referencing Meta’s reported use of $100 million incentives for engineers and $250 million packages for leading AI researchers. “I don’t think anyone’s matching those things,” Suleyman said. He also questioned Meta’s approach of hiring individuals rather than building cohesive teams, calling it a less effective model for long-term innovation. Suleyman stressed that Microsoft continues to prioritize cultural fit and long-term alignment over flashy offers. Drawing from his experience at DeepMind, he described a selective hiring process focused on incremental growth and rigorous evaluation of candidates. He noted that Microsoft has let go of employees who didn’t align with team goals, reinforcing a disciplined approach to talent acquisition. The AI talent war remains fierce across Silicon Valley. In June, Meta invested $14.3 billion in Scale AI—a move widely interpreted as an acquihire for its CEO, Alexandr Wang. Google similarly acquired the leadership team behind Windsurf, an AI coding startup, in a $2.4 billion deal. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has previously claimed Meta attempted to lure his employees with $100 million bonuses, prompting OpenAI to match those offers. Even at smaller startups, AI leadership roles now command base salaries between $300,000 and $400,000, according to Shawn Thorne, managing director at executive search firm True Search. Suleyman acknowledged that talent rotation is common in the industry due to the limited pool of experts. He cited Microsoft’s corporate vice president of AI, Amar Subramanya, who recently left for Apple as an example of this fluid movement. Despite the turnover, Suleyman affirmed that Microsoft continues to attract talent from DeepMind, OpenAI, and other leading AI organizations. “There’s certainly no 'no poach' agreements—that would not be legal,” he said. “People can go work for whoever they want to work for.”