(AsianFin)—In the race for AI talent, U.S. and Chinese tech giants are pouring money into recruitment. As of Wednesday, 32 major companies, including Meta, Microsoft, Google, and Alibaba, have spent a total of over $780 million to secure AI expertise. U.S. firms have splurged $770 million, dwarfing China's expenditure of less than $100 million.

This disparity signals an unprecedented battle for talent, with industry leaders like Tesla CEO Elon Musk calling it “the fiercest” yet. In the United States, companies are sparing no expense, offering top AI talent staggering salaries exceeding $2.4 million annually.

Meta leads the pack, with the median compensation package for AI-related roles reaching $2.51 million, including stock options and bonuses. Other heavyweights like Google and OpenAI aren't far behind, offering packages exceeding $1.38 million.

Beyond hefty salaries, companies are vying for talent with promises of cutting-edge computing resources. Meta's announcement of acquiring over 350,000 Nvidia H100 chips by year-end underscores this strategy.

Meanwhile, China's tech giants, including Alibaba and ByteDance, are also engaged in a high-stakes battle for AI talent. With an expenditure of approximately $60 million, these firms are offering lucrative packages to attract top talent, mirroring the competitive landscape in the United States.

Despite China's rapid growth in AI education and industry, the United States remains the preferred destination for elite AI talent globally. However, China's extensive talent cultivation efforts and forward-thinking industry landscape suggest a potential shift in the future.

As AI technology evolves, the competition for talent is expected to intensify further, underscoring the critical role of skilled professionals in driving industry advancement.