Summary of Key Points
The competition for AI talent in 2026 has reached a fever pitch, with major companies (such as Alibaba, Tencent, and ByteDance) as well as “hidden giants” (like Moonlight and Momenta) offering exorbitant salaries to attract top professionals. The focus has shifted from the development of large-scale models to the creation of Agent applications. At the same time, AI has led to a polarization in the workplace: some programmers have been laid off, but those over 35 years old have seen a revaluation of their value due to their industry experience, with “super individuals” emerging as a new trend. The future direction appears to be the cloudification of human resources, with one-person companies becoming the norm.
1. The AI Talent Rush: Salaries Soaring from Millions to Hundreds of Millions
Salaries for AI professionals have skyrocketed in recent years. What started at the million level in 2023 has risen to tens of millions by 2024, and in 2026, they've surpassed hundreds of millions—take Guo Daya, for example, who joined ByteDance with an annual salary in that range. Even recent graduates are receiving substantial packages; students from Tsinghua University’s elite computer science programs say that their seniors entering Tencent or Alibaba earn annual salaries in the millions. Interns are also in high demand, with Tsinghua PhD candidates receiving multiple interview calls from top companies, and some consider a salary of 800,000 yuan to be very attractive. Data from脉脉 shows that AI scientists earned an average monthly salary of over 130,000 yuan from January to April 2026, nearly double that of second-ranked algorithm researchers. The reason for these high salaries is that top talent can significantly reduce computing costs by optimizing algorithms, making them highly valuable to companies.
2. Shift in the Focus of Talent Acquisition: From Large-Scale Models to Agent Application Developers
In the past, the competition was for “fundamental model” experts—C9-level doctors who had published papers in top conferences and could secure offers easily. However, 2026 marks the “Year of Agents,” with the focus shifting to application developers who understand business contexts and can integrate AI into specific use cases. Not only C9 doctors but also graduates from 985 and 211 universities with computer science backgrounds are in high demand. Hidden giants like Momenta and iFlytek have joined the talent battle, with iFlytek offering an annual salary of 124 million yuan for a chief scientist in embodied intelligence, while Momenta offers an average monthly salary of nearly 70,000 yuan. These companies offer competitive salaries despite being less well-known.
3. New Tactics Used by Major Companies to Attract Talent: Beyond Money, Special Benefits and Equity
Merely offering high salaries is no longer enough; companies are now offering special benefits and equity incentives. Tencent has created a “special treatment” for AI scientist Yao Shunyu, allowing him to attend meetings in shorts and slippers and suggesting that he report directly to the president. ByteDance has introduced the “DouBao Stock” program, providing employees with shares in the company’s future profits. Alibaba and Tencent have established “management special zones” for their AI teams, providing them with top-tier resources to work independently like start-ups. The reason is that top talent values three key factors: sufficient computing power, a promising technical direction, and strong direct leadership. For instance, Guo Daya chose ByteDance because the company focuses on the Agent technology he specializes in.
4. A Polarized Workplace: Layoffs and Value Revaluation
While companies are aggressively hiring, many are also laying off employees. Programmers often worry that the AI they develop will replace their jobs, as seen on social media. However, professionals over 35 years old have seen a revaluation of their value; their industry experience is now crucial in leveraging AI. At the same time, “super individuals” are emerging—product managers writing code, designers generating front-end code, and one person performing the work that used to require several people. Lin Fan predicts that those who do not become super individuals will be phased out.
5. Predictions for the Future: The Cloudification of Human Resources
Lin Fan believes that the shortage of AI talent will continue for at least three years. In ten years, 95% of companies may be one-person operations, with Agents handling tasks and “human resource clouds” being rented on demand (similar to cloud servers). Companies won’t need to hire employees but can rent specialized services. By then, anyone could potentially become a CEO, as they will have the capabilities to run a company on their own—provided they adapt to the AI era and become super individuals.
This news article highlights a core theme: AI is not only transforming technology but also reshaping the rules of the workplace. Either become part of the highly sought-after talent or become a super individual; otherwise, you may be left behind. The future work model will be more flexible and lightweight.