NEW: Meta’s multi-hundred million dollar comp offers and Google’s multi-billion dollar Character AI and Windsurf deals signal that we are in a crazy AI talent bubble. We’re entering a hypercapitalist era in tech — and, as @absoluttig explains, it will rewire the industry. The myth of the 10x engineer was quaint. Today we’re seeing *1000x* engineers — people whose contributions can materially change a company’s trajectory, and the trajectory of an entire industry. At these stakes, $20m/year or more for the right person isn’t insane. If AI is a $10 trillion+ opportunity, it actually makes sense to spend this much. But: this new regime breaks the social contract. Loyalty, founder gravity, and startup idealism are no match for this level of capital. A high-trust culture in startups is no longer a given. Not in an era of 9-figure checks. In this new world, fewer companies will get more funding and revenue, and fewer employees will get paid more. New labor dynamics will likely emerge on both sides of the table: agents for top engineers, unions for AI researchers, aggressive non-compete tactics. The social contracts between employees, startups, and investors are being rewritten. Only the fiercest founders and strongest missions will be able to offset intensely mercenary market forces. Here’s what that future will look like. Link threaded. 👇