Hiring in AI/ML isn’t just about compensation; it’s a full-scale talent war.
Compensation Wars
- I just closed a machine learning engineer where I doubled his comp and added a $100K sign-on, putting him at $700K total.
- Within days, the client’s direct competitor countered with another $700K in sign-on cash.
- Gee whiz, Karen! LOL.
- This is the reality: top AI talent can spark a bidding war overnight.
- Beyond Cash: Creative Structures
To make the acceptance stick, we had to get creative:
- Structured equity
- Layered deferred comp
- Curated two new roles to keep him challenged
Cash alone doesn’t win. Career growth and equity alignment seal the deal.
Why Firms Fail
99% of firms claiming they “know AI/ML” can’t actually:
- Hire properly
- Back it with serious capital
- Fill more than a handful of roles without chaos
We pass on 99% of these companies because many have 25+ open positions and no strategy.
Meanwhile, Zuckerberg is handing out $100M sign-ons to lock down the very top AI/ML talent. He knows the truth: this isn’t an AI war, it’s a talent war.
Succession Insight
If you’re serious about hiring across AI/ML, you need more than cash; you need a partner who knows how to structure, negotiate, and close in a talent war.
Reach out to Succession for an AI executive search that delivers.
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