Meta Boosts Executive Pay With Stock Options to Retain AI Talent

Meta Platforms is increasing compensation for its top executives, including offering stock options for the first time, as it seeks to retain senior talent amid intensifying competition in artificial intelligence.

The move comes as Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg pushes the company to compete more aggressively in generative AI, with major technology firms vying for leadership in the fast-evolving sector.

According to regulatory filings, senior leaders eligible for the new stock options include Chief Financial Officer Susan Li, Chief Technology Officer Andrew Bosworth, Chief Product Officer Chris Cox, Chief Operating Officer Javier Olivan, President and Vice Chairman Dina Powell McCormick, and Chief Legal Officer Curtis Mahoney.

Most of these executives will also receive increased restricted stock awards, collectively valued at around $170 million based on the latest closing price. These awards will vest quarterly, reinforcing long-term retention.

Meta has previously offered large compensation packages, sometimes worth hundreds of millions of dollars, to attract leading AI researchers to its superintelligence initiatives. The latest changes reflect a broader strategy to align executive incentives with long-term performance.

The stock options are structured with ambitious performance targets. Executives will need Meta’s share price to rise at least 88.2% to $1,116.08 to unlock the lowest-priced tranche. Shares closed at $592.92 on March 24. The highest tranche requires the stock to surge more than sixfold to $3,727.12.

The company must meet these targets by February 2028 for the options to vest. If unmet, unvested options will be released in instalments through August 2030 and will expire in March 2031.