Tech Giants Drain Academia's AI Talent

In 2025 Google, Amazon, Microsoft and Meta spent US$380 billion building AI tools, with spending expected to rise to US$650 billion this year to fund infrastructure and talent. Lavish compensation—including a reported US$250 million offer—and aggressive hiring are drawing young, highly cited researchers into industry, a trend a 2025 paper links to a dramatic rise in academic departures. The shift threatens collaborative science and prompts calls for public-oriented research institutions.