AI engineer pay hits $300K

The median pay for AI engineers in the US was $290,000 in April — about $100K more than what non-AI software engineers made, according to data from compensation data and career services platform Levels.fyi. That amount has been fluctuating in the past few years but generally going up, hitting over $300,000 in March according to data reported by employees themselves.

“Everyone trying to step into this game makes it very competitive for this limited pool of talent,” Levels.fyi founder Zuhayeer Musa told Sherwood. “They’re starting to outbid each other and competition is just going up.”

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Nate Becker9m

Tesla CEO Elon Musk wins appeal for his 2018 pay package

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has won an appeal to the Delaware Supreme Court, restoring his 2018 pay package that was worth $56 billion at the time but has since ballooned in value, Reuters reports.

Two years ago, a lower court had struck down the compensation deal, calling it “unfathomable,” and Musk has been fighting for it since then.

Of course, Musk was recently awarded an even bigger pay package that could potentially award him $1 trillion over time. Tesla shares were recently up 0.5% in after-hours trading.

Musk wins appeal and restores 2018 Tesla pay deal worth $56 billion

Of course, Musk was recently awarded an even bigger pay package that could potentially award him $1 trillion over time. Tesla shares were recently up 0.5% in after-hours trading.

Jon Keegan5h

OpenAI’s reported fundraising valuation keeps jumping by hundreds of billions of dollars

OpenAI is reportedly in talks to raise as much as $100 billion, with a valuation of....~~$500 billion...$750 billion~~ $830 billion?

This is getting ridiculous. This week we have read multiple reports that OpenAI is in early discussions with potential investors about a significant fundraising round of up to $100 billion, to help cover its cloud computing costs.

On Tuesday, The Information reported a major $10 billion investment from Amazon in OpenAI, with a valuation higher than $500 billion
On Wednesday, The Information reported that the $100 billion round would give OpenAI a valuation of $750 billion
Today, the Wall Street Journal is reporting that the $100 billion round would give OpenAI a valuation of as much as $830 billion

The spread from $500 billion to $830 billion is pretty wild, and we are wondering what it might be by next week.

Exclusive | OpenAI’s New Fundraising Round Could Value Startup at as Much as $830 Billion

On Tuesday, The Information reported a major $10 billion investment from Amazon in OpenAI, with a valuation higher than $500 billion
On Wednesday, The Information reported that the $100 billion round would give OpenAI a valuation of $750 billion
Today, the Wall Street Journal is reporting that the $100 billion round would give OpenAI a valuation of as much as $830 billion

The spread from $500 billion to $830 billion is pretty wild, and we are wondering what it might be by next week.

Alexander C. Kaufman

Power play

12/18/25

Inside Trump Media’s head-scratching $6 billion merger to become a nuclear fusion company

“TAE is swinging for the fences for a grand slam,” one analyst told us, but the odds are against it.

Hand Holding an Atomic Rock Above a City

Jon Keegan12/18/25

Report: OpenAI in early talks for new fundraising round with $750 billion valuation

Just yesterday, we were reading about how Amazon was in talks to invest as much as $10 billion in OpenAI, with an eye-popping valuation of more than $500 billion. But those numbers might already be old.

A new report by The Information says that OpenAI is in early talks to raise as much as $100 billion, with a $750 billion valuation.

The company is reportedly estimating its fast-growing revenue will hit $100 billion by 2028, but it also expects to burn $115 billion in cash through 2029.

OpenAI Has Discussed Raising Tens of Billions at Valuation Around $750 Billion

The company is reportedly estimating its fast-growing revenue will hit $100 billion by 2028, but it also expects to burn $115 billion in cash through 2029.

GOP Lawmakers In D.C. Poised To Vote On Waivers That Allow California To Set Own Emissions Standards

US electric vehicle sales are expected to slide nearly 40% in Q4

This is weirdly good news for Tesla.

Rani Molla12/18/25

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