AI researcher’s pay sparks outrage — a 24-year-old developer just secured a salary 327 times larger than what J. Robert Oppenheimer earned while creating the atomic bomb.
The staggering figure leaked alongside a photo of a robot hand giving cash, highlighting the growing pay chasm in AI labs. This salary dwarfs historical benchmarks, igniting debate over the ethics and priorities in tech funding.
The issue started after insiders shared the researcher’s compensation details on social media. Critics slammed the pay gap as “insane” and “tone-deaf,” given the societal risks AI development poses. 
Soon after, other AI firms faced questions about salary transparency and resource allocation.
This surge in pay contrasts sharply with historical scientific milestones, where major breakthroughs often came with modest personal financial reward.
The launch follows a wider conversation on fair tech salaries and how companies should balance talent incentives against social responsibility.
