Meta's $250M Whiz Kid's AI Product Receives Mixed Reviews from Users

Meta's newest whiz kid, Matt Deitke, has received a $250 million pay packet. However, his last AI product, Vy, has received mixed reviews from users, with some complaining about its functionality. Vy can handle repetitive tasks with high accuracy and learns by observing user behavior. Despite this, some users have described it as "clunky" and say it struggles with certain applications like Google Chrome and Numbers.

Meta has made headlines with its recent offer of $250 million to Matt Deitke, a 24-year-old AI researcher, over a four-year period. This staggering compensation package, averaging $62.5 million per year, signifies a new era in AI talent acquisition and compensation, dwarfing historical precedents [1].

Matt Deitke, who previously led the development of Molmo, a multimodal AI system at the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence, will join Meta to work on its ambitious projects. His expertise in systems that integrate images, sounds, and text aligns with Meta's vision of developing superintelligent AI [1].

The offer is part of Meta's aggressive strategy to attract top AI talent and outpace competitors. The company's CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, has expressed conviction that superintelligent AI could revolutionize various aspects of their operations [1]. Meta's investment in AI is substantial, with the company planning to spend tens of billions annually on AI infrastructure [1].

Deitke's new role comes with a significant challenge: his last AI product, Vy, has received mixed reviews. Vy, designed to handle repetitive tasks with high accuracy and learn from user behavior, has been criticized for its "clunky" interface and struggles with certain applications like Google Chrome and Numbers [2].

Despite the criticism, Deitke's compensation reflects the immense value companies place on AI talent. The offer underscores the belief that whoever achieves artificial general intelligence (AGI) or superintelligence first could dominate markets worth trillions [1].

References:
[1] https://arstechnica.com/ai/2025/08/at-250-million-top-ai-salaries-dwarf-those-of-the-manhattan-project-and-the-space-race/
[2] https://www.livemint.com/technology/tech-news/meet-matt-deitke-24-year-old-ai-whiz-lured-by-mark-zuckerberg-with-whopping-250-million-offer-11754124450861.html