How to Win the AI Talent War The talent war is justified and rational. But recruits are turning down 8- or 9-figure offers. So how do you win? In Civ VI terms, the win condition is not a Domination Victory but a Religious Victory: You win by converting others to your vision of the future, instilling faith in your ability to lead them to the promised land, and persuading them that you are destined to prevail. Money is necessary but not sufficient. (1/8)

Over-reliance on comp reduces companies to ATMs and people to chattel. It also messes up internal dynamics and external vibes, and if your main selling point is short-term liquidity then you won’t get true believers. Beyond dollars and GPUs, this is what you need to get (and keep!) the best researchers and engineers: 1. Mandate of heaven 2. Clear mission 3. Kleos 4. Esprit de corps 5. Star factory 6. Network effects 7. Recruits as recruiters 8. Freedom to cook 9. Leadership 10. Momentum

6. Network effects Breakthroughs are better with friends. Create a positive loop where great people attract other great people. The feedback loop also goes the other direction btw: compromising on talent quality now means compromising your ability to recruit later. 7. Recruits as recruiters Being recruited by a friend who’s genuinely stoked about their job is the most effective form of headhunting, and you should equip your new hires to do this. New hires get bombarded with “How’s it going?” texts in their first month, so equip them to evangelize.