AI Research

‘We have reached the climax of ‘Revenge of the Nerds’

Published

1 month ago

August 1, 2025

Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta gave a 24-year-old artificial intelligence whiz a staggering $250 million compensation package, raising the bar in the recruiting wars for top talent — while also raising questions about economic inequality in an AI-dominated future.

Matt Deitke, who recently dropped out of a computer science doctoral program at the University of Washington, initially turned down Zuckerberg’s “low-ball” offer of approximately $125 million over four years, according to the New York Times.

But when the Facebook founder, a former whiz kid himself, met with Deitke and doubled the offer to roughly $250 million — with potentially $100 million paid in the first year alone — the young researcher accepted what may be one of the largest employment packages in corporate history, the Times reported.

“When computer scientists are paid like professional athletes, we have reached the climax of the ‘Revenge of the Nerds!’” Professor David Autor, an economist at MIT, told The Post on Friday.

Deitke’s journey illustrates how quickly fortunes can be made in AI’s limited talent pool.

After leaving his doctoral program, he worked at Seattle’s Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence, where he led the development of Molmo, an AI chatbot capable of processing images, sounds, and text — exactly the type of multimodal system Meta is pursuing.

In November, Deitke co-founded Vercept, a startup focused on AI agents that can autonomously perform tasks using internet-based software. With approximately 10 employees, Vercept raised $16.5 million from investors including former Google CEO Eric Schmidt.

His groundbreaking work on 3D datasets, embodied AI environments and multimodal models earned him widespread acclaim, including an Outstanding Paper Award at NeurIPS 2022. The award, one of the highest accolades in the AI research community, is handed out to around a dozen researchers out of more than 10,000 submissions.

The deal to lock up Deitke underscores Meta’s aggressive push to compete in artificial intelligence.

Meta has reportedly paid out more than $1 billion to build an all-star roster, including luring away Ruoming Pang, former head of Apple’s AI models team, to join its Superintelligence Labs team with a compensation package reportedly worth more than $200 million.

The company said capital expenditures will go up to $72 billion for 2025, an increase of approximately $30 billion year-over-year, in its earnings report Wednesday.

While proponents argue that competition drives innovation, critics worry about the concentration of power among a few companies and individuals capable of shaping AI’s development.

Ramesh Srinivasan, a professor of Information Studies and Design/Media Arts at UCLA and founder of the university’s Digital Cultures Lab, said the direction that companies like Meta are taking with artificial intelligence is “foundational to why our economy is becoming more unequal by the day.”

“These firms are awarding hundreds of millions of dollars to a handful of elite researchers while simultaneously laying off thousands of workers—many of whom, like content moderators, are not even classified as full employees,” Srinivasan told the New York Post.

“These are the very jobs Meta and similar companies intend to replace with the AI systems they’re aggressively developing.”

Srinivasan, who advises US policymakers on technology policy and has written extensively on the societal impact of AI, said this model of development rewards those advancing large language models while “displacing and disenfranchising the workers whose labor, ironically, generated the data powering those models in the first place.”

“This is cognitive task automation,” he said. “It’s HR, administrative work, paralegal work — even driving for Uber. If data can be collected on a job, it can be mimicked by a machine. All of those forms of income are on the chopping block.”

Asked whether universal basic income might address mass displacement, Srinivasan, who hosts the Utopias podcast, called it “highly insufficient.”

“Yes, UBI gives people money, but it doesn’t address the fundamental issue: no one is being paid for the data that makes these AI systems possible,” he said.

On Wednesday, Zuckerberg told investors on the company’s earnings call: “We’re building an elite, talent-dense team. If you’re going to be spending hundreds of billions of dollars on compute and building out multiple gigawatt of clusters, then it really does make sense to compete super hard and do whatever it takes to get that, you know, 50 or 70 or whatever it is, top researchers to build your team.”

“There’s just an absolute premium for the best and most talented people.”

A Meta spokesperson referred The Post to Zuckerberg’s comments to investors.

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AI Research

Optibus announces expansion of generative AI capabilities for transit schedulin and operations

Published

28 minutes ago

September 10, 2025

Editorial Staff

Optibus announces it has introduced new capabilities to Optibus AI, that the company claims being the “first Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) suite purpose-built for public and private operators and agencies”.

Optibus AI features a growing number of industry-specific AI agents fully integrated across the platform. “Tools are embedded where and when transportation professionals need them most. With intelligence layers for every stage of work, agencies and operators can redefine planning, scheduling, and beyond with intuitive, platform-native capabilities”, the Israeli tech company states.

Optibus expands Artificial Intelligence skills

Optibus suite suite includes a Generative AI agent that uses natural language to create complex scheduling rules: “Schedulers type preferences in plain language, such as “No more than ten duties over nine hours,” and Optibus instantly generates accurate, ready-to-use logic. No more specialized coding, configuration, or steep learning curves. Just fast, intuitive scheduling powered by AI”, reads Optibus announcement.

Preference Designer is said as reducing errors and rule configuration time by up to 70%.

Additional AI agents are on the way, including Schedule Analysis, allowing to compare optimized scenarios and charting the best path forward, and persuade stakeholders with presentation-ready analysis and actionable insights. Optibus is also set to introduce Multi-Step Automation.

According to Optibus’ industry survey, 95% of public transportation enterprises have explored artificial intelligence, but only 8% noted measurable impact. Across industries, insufficient integration into existing workflows is a key cause of unsuccessful AI trials.

Amos Haggiag, CEO and co-founder of Optibus, said: “Generative AI is kicking-off a new chapter in how public transportation is planned and operated. Optibus AI turns decades of complex processes into simple, intuitive tools that empower teams at every level.”

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AI Research

Achieving the Next Era of Intelligence

Published

48 minutes ago

September 10, 2025

Arm

Low Power-High Performance

WHITEPAPERS

AGI: the timeline, breakthroughs needed, why AI models are falling short and a practical path forward.

September 10th, 2025 –

By: Arm

Explore how industry leaders are defining artificial general intelligence (AGI) and what it may take to reach it. Developed by MIT Technology Review and Arm, this deep dive examines accelerating timelines, the compute innovations shaping progress, and why today’s models still fall short of true intelligence. Designed for engineers, researchers, and technology leaders navigating the future of AI.

Key Takeaways

AGI timelines are accelerating: Experts predict early AGI traits by 2026; 50% chance of full AGI by 2047.
AGI demands a smarter compute strategy: Achieving intelligence at scale will require more efficient architectures, new system design approaches, and intelligent orchestration.
Today’s AI isn’t truly intelligent: At publication, models lack reasoning, adaptability, and understanding.
Benchmarks must improve: Metrics like fluid and social intelligence better reflect AGI goals.
Scale isn’t everything: AGI requires new architectures and approaches, not just more compute.

AI Research

Marquis Who’s Who Honors Sandra E. Cheung, PhD, for Expertise in Artificial Intelligence

Published

1 hour ago

September 10, 2025

The Editors

Marquis Who’s Who Honors Sandra E. Cheung, PhD, for Expertise in Artificial Intelligence

Sandra E. Cheung promotes AI literacy and drives technology transformations

She aims to cultivate artificial intelligence literacy among communities across the United States by planting seeds of knowledge that encourage individuals to manage future technology challenges.

BELMONT, CA, September 10, 2025 /24-7PressRelease/ — Sandra E. Cheung, PhD, has been included in Marquis Who’s Who. As in all Marquis Who’s Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.

Dr. Cheung is a distinguished leader in the technology and engineering sectors. Inspired by the emergence of artificial intelligence in the technology sector, she launched AImpowered in 2025, and the nonprofit organization has since been dedicated to educating people on safe and effective use of AI. As the chief executive officer of the firm, she has been instrumental in shaping the organization’s mission to bridge the digital divide and promote AI literacy, and she manages project timelines, coordinates meetings, implements key strategies, and monitors performance. Dr. Cheung also oversees budget expenditures, ensures compliance, and expertly supports her associates in their innovative pursuits.

Through AImpowered, Dr. Cheung offers workshops tailored for both children and adults, emphasizing the importance of in-person interactions for those affected by technological barriers. She is particularly dedicated to supporting individuals who struggle with technology, equipping them with the necessary tools to navigate the evolving landscape of AI. Dr. Cheung is also proud to curate content that helps parents gauge the influence of AI on home and school environments and to promote advocacy for children’s education in this field.

Drawing from her own experiences raising children during the rise of mobile phones, Dr. Cheung aids parents in grasping contemporary challenges posed by rapid technological advancement. Additionally, she prioritizes platforms that empower current technology workers to harness AI in their work. Notably, Dr. Cheung’s efforts through AImpowered prepare both parents and professionals to thrive in an increasingly AI-driven world.

In her comprehensive role, Dr. Cheung relies on experience gained from a series of pivotal professional appointments. From 2021 to 2024, she was the chief of staff and head of operations, strategy and planning at Webex, where she held oversight of operational efficiency and strategic initiatives that supported the company’s growth in collaborative technologies. Between 2018 and 2020, Dr. Cheung excelled as the director of software engineering at Cisco, and her signature leadership was pivotal in driving software development projects that enhanced Cisco’s product offerings.

From 2012 to 2018, Dr. Cheung provided technology and management consulting services at Cadushi, advising organizations on optimizing their technological infrastructure and management practices. Additionally, during her tenure as the senior director of infrastructure engineering and production operations at Yahoo! from 2005 to 2012, she played a critical role in addressing a significant crisis related to data center capacity amid financial constraints. Drawing inspiration from Yahoo!’s engineers, she collaborated with leadership to drive innovation among the company’s teams, inspiring others to look beyond conventional methods and galvanizing teams around a shared vision.

Before joining Yahoo!, Dr. Cheung was the director of network planning, design and analysis at Covad from 2003 to 2005, before which she served as the director of network engineering at Covad Communications from 1998 to 2003. In these positions, she oversaw network infrastructure development and strategic planning. Dr. Cheung began her professional journey in 1994 as a senior member of technical staff at AT&T, where she thrived through 1998.

The pursuit of service opportunities prompted Dr. Cheung to accept an appointment as the co-chair of the engineering council at Founders Creative in 2025, through which she contributes her expertise to foster innovation within the organization. Her commitment to promoting and advancing women in various fields is reflected through her membership in Women in Collaboration and her substantial leadership tenure with the Girl Scouts; additionally, Dr. Cheung is a proud co-founder and the acting president of the Silicon Valley Ice Skating Association.

Dr. Cheung’s academic credentials are impressive and include a Bachelor of Science in computer science from Florida Institute of Technology, which she completed in 1988. She also holds a Doctor of Philosophy in computer science from the University of Florida, which she proudly earned in 1993. Dr. Cheung credits her adaptability and dedication to making a positive impact on others as central to her success across diverse personal and professional platforms.

Looking toward the future, Dr. Cheung aims to cultivate artificial intelligence literacy among communities across the United States by planting seeds of knowledge that encourage individuals to manage future technology challenges. She emphasizes education as a foundation that must extend throughout all stages of learning so that younger generations can navigate change without anxiety while remaining grounded in core human values. Through her initiatives, Dr. Cheung seeks to foster collaboration and help people embrace transformative advancements.

About Marquis Who’s Who®:

Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who’s Who in America®, Marquis Who’s Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Who’s Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. The suite of Marquis® publications can be viewed at the official Marquis Who’s Who® website, www.marquiswhoswho.com.

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