Are AI Superathletes worth $100million bonuses?

The WashingtonPost.com reported that “Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been on a recruiting spree in recent weeks, luring top artificial-intelligence researchers and engineers away from OpenAI, Apple and Google.  OpenAI CEO Sam Altman claimed in a podcast interview that the “crazy” campaign involved offering his staff $100 million signing bonuses.”  The July 16, 2025 article entitled " Why AI superathletes could be winning $100 million bonuses in Silicon Valley” (https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2025/07/16/ai-meta-superstars-silicon-valley/)  included these comments:

For those outside of Silicon Valley, it raises the question: What do AI superathletes know that makes these relatively obscure workers so highly prized?  A $100 million bonus would dwarf the $17.1 million median pay of S&P CEOs in 2024, according to Equilar and the Associated Press. Meta’s recent recruits include an engineer who previously led Apple’s AI models team, whose multiyear contract is worth $200 million, according to Bloomberg News. Apple CEO Tim Cook, the most highly paid among leaders of the largest tech firms, received $63 million in 2024. Apple and OpenAI did not respond to requests for comment.

What do you think?