Meta just hit the brakes on its AI hiring after a months-long spending spree that saw the social media giant offer signing bonuses as high as $100 million to poach top talent. The sudden pause comes as tech stocks tumble and industry leaders question whether AI investments are moving too fast.
Meta just pumped the brakes on its AI talent acquisition machine. The company confirmed Thursday it's pausing hiring for its artificial intelligence division, ending a monthslong spending spree that made headlines for its astronomical price tags and aggressive poaching tactics. The freeze went into effect last week, according to The Wall Street Journal, coming amid a broader restructuring that's reshaping how Mark Zuckerberg's company approaches its superintelligence ambitions.
The timing couldn't be more revealing. Tech stocks are in freefall this week, and industry whispers about an AI bubble are getting louder. Just days ago, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman told journalists he believes AI is in bubble territory, sending shockwaves through Silicon Valley's AI establishment.
Meta's hiring freeze follows one of the most aggressive talent wars tech has ever seen. The company was throwing around signing bonuses "as high as $100 million" to lure top researchers from competitors, according to previous CNBC reporting. The crown jewel of this spree was acquiring Alexandr Wang, founder of Scale AI, in a deal that saw Meta shell out $14.3 billion for a 49% stake in the AI startup.
"Some basic organizational planning: creating a solid structure for our new superintelligence efforts after bringing people on board," a Meta spokesperson told CNBC, framing the pause as routine housekeeping rather than strategic retreat. But the restructuring that preceded it tells a different story.
