The AI race is heating up and top companies are striving to retain their top AI talent. In the past one month, four senior AI researchers haves switched to Meta from Apple, forcing the tech giant to increase compensation for engineers in its Apple Foundation Models (AFM) group, according to a Bloomberg reports.
Apple is lagging behind in the AI race even after launching Apple Intelligence in 2024. Siri’s major revamp remains delayed, and Apple’s AI search ambitions are still in early development.
However, the company is hiring across machine learning and AI roles and is offering lucrative pay packages and perks like stock grants, product discounts, and flexible working conditions.
While Apple does not publicly disclose salaries, a report by Business Insider shared filings for international hires. The filings reveal that AI and engineering roles are among the best-paid.
Here is a look at Apple’s salary ranges across various roles (base pay only, excluding stock grants and bonuses):
| Salary Range (USD) | |
| Machine Learning Engineer | $143,100 – $312,200 |
| Machine Learning Researcher | $114,100 – $312,200 |
| Data Scientist | $105,550 – $322,400 |
| Software Development Engineer (Applications) | $132,267 – $378,700 |
| Human Interface Designer | $135,400 – $468,500 |
| Hardware Systems Engineer | $125,495 – $378,700 |
| AR/VR Software Development | $129,805 – $312,200 |
| Software Engineering Manager | $166,691 – $378,700 |
| RF/Analog/Mixed Signal Engineer | $131,352 – $312,200 |
| Design Verification Engineer | $103,164 – $312,200 |
While Apple’s salaries are competitive, Meta’s poaching spree highlights a broader “talent war” in AI, where giants are racing not just for products, but for people.