Meta Offers Rs 3.76 Crore Base Salary to Its Top AI Engineer, Filings Reveal

Meta is intensifying its push into artificial intelligence, and to stay ahead of the curve, the company is offering eye-popping salary packages to attract top-tier engineers.

As per recent federal filings, the base salary for Meta’s top AI research engineer is as high as $440,000, which translates to approximately Rs 3.76 crore at current currency rates.

Disclosures from H-1B Visa Filings

The figures were obtained from documents Meta submitted as part of the H-1B visa program, which mandates U.S. companies to disclose wage levels for foreign hires. The H-1B system allows 85,000 skilled workers annually to join the American workforce.

These public filings offer insight into what tech giants like Meta are paying their AI and software professionals — excluding stock options, bonuses, and other benefits.

“A base salary of up to $440,000 is what Meta is offering to its top AI research engineer,” reported Business Insider, citing the filing.

What Other AI and Tech Roles at Meta Earn

While the $440,000 figure tops the list for AI research engineers, other technical roles at Meta also come with significant compensation. According to the filings:

Machine Learning & Research Roles

• Machine Learning Engineers: $165,000 – $440,000

• Senior Research Scientists: upwards of $230,000

• Technical Program Managers: also above $230,000

Software & Data Professionals

• Software Engineers: base pay up to $480,000

• Data Science Managers & Directors: $248,000 – $320,000

Product & UX Talent

• Product Managers, Designers, UX Researchers: well into six-figure base salaries

Importantly, these salary figures don’t factor in Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) — a major part of total compensation at companies like Meta, especially in high-impact domains like artificial intelligence.

Thinking Machines Lab: A New Challenger

Meta isn't the only company in the race to secure elite AI talent. Thinking Machines Lab, a stealth startup founded by former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati, is reportedly offering even higher base salaries — up to $500,000 — to lure top technical talent, despite not having launched a product yet.

Conclusion

Meta’s compensation strategy for its AI workforce highlights the rapidly intensifying battle for top talent in the global artificial intelligence sector. Offering a base salary of ₹3.76 crore to its top AI research engineer not only reflects Meta’s ambitious push into frontier technologies but also sets a new benchmark for pay scales in the tech industry.

This move underscores a broader trend where companies are increasingly willing to offer extraordinary financial incentives to attract and retain highly specialized talent. The growing disparity between AI roles and traditional tech positions signals a paradigm shift in how value is being assigned to innovation-centric expertise.

With emerging players like Thinking Machines Lab — founded by former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati — reportedly offering base salaries of up to $500,000 even before product launch, the competition is set to escalate further. For professionals with niche AI skills, this presents unprecedented earning potential, while for tech firms, the real challenge will be sustaining talent in an increasingly high-stakes environment.