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EXCLUSIVE | TECH POWER PLAY Zuckerberg Doubles Offer to AI Prodigy — $250M for 24-Year-Old Genius

TECH FEATURE

Zuckerberg Meets 24-Year-Old Who Rejected Meta’s $125M Offer

ENS Tech Desk | August 5, 2025



Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has once again made waves in the AI world after reportedly meeting with Matt Deitke, the 24-year-old researcher who previously turned down a massive $125 million offer from Meta.

The dramatic twist came after Deitke, known for his groundbreaking work in multimodal AI systems, rejected Meta’s initial proposal — prompting Zuckerberg to double the offer in a personal outreach that insiders describe as a "strategic priority move."

Zuckerberg reportedly told Deitke: "You're not just joining a company. You're helping shape intelligence for the next century."

Who is Matt Deitke?

  • Young AI researcher formerly at the Allen Institute for AI
  • Helped develop MOLMO, a leading multimodal AI model
  • Co-founded the startup Vercept, which raised $16.5 million
  • Recipient of the 2024 NeurIPS Outstanding Paper Award

Deitke’s initial rejection of Meta’s offer sparked major conversation across Silicon Valley, with many praising his stance on ethical AI development and independence from Big Tech influence.

Meta’s Bigger AI Play

The aggressive offer reflects Meta’s push to build out its internal Superintelligence division — a project said to rival OpenAI and Google DeepMind. Sources close to the matter suggest that the company has allocated over $1 billion this year alone toward elite AI recruitment.

With growing public interest in transparency, safety, and control of AI, Meta’s high-profile recruitment of Deitke could serve both as a talent acquisition and a public image win.

The Bottom Line

Whether or not Deitke ultimately joins Meta, one thing is clear: the battle for AI supremacy is no longer just about technology — it’s about talent, vision, and trust.

© 2025 ENS News — Technology Desk

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