An Australian artificial intelligence expert has reportedly turned down a staggering billion-dollar offer from Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta.

Andrew Tulloch, a University of Sydney alumnus who was raised in Perth, dedicated over ten years to working at Facebook’s parent company before transitioning to competitor OpenAI.

This February, Tulloch, alongside former OpenAI chief technology officer Mira Murati, launched AI startup Thinking Machines Lab. The enterprise is reportedly valued at US$12 billion (A$18.5 billion).

The Wall Street Journal reports that Zuckerberg attempted to acquire Thinking Machines Lab earlier this year, but Murati rejected his proposal. Following this, Meta’s CEO sought to entice the startup’s key personnel, including Tulloch.

Tulloch was reportedly presented with a US$1 billion (A$1.55 billion) compensation package over six years, with opportunities for more through bonuses and stock options.

However, the Perth-born ‘genius’ turned the offer down. Meta later told the Journal the reported US$1 billion figure was ‘inaccurate and ridiculous’.

Mr Tulloch moved to the US in 2012 and spent 11 years at Facebook’s AI company, where he rose to the role of distinguished engineer. 

Mike Vernal, a former Facebook executive who worked with Mr Tulloch, said: ‘He was definitely known as an extreme genius.’

University of Sydney graduate Andrew Tulloch (pictured), raised in Perth, reportedly rejected a US$1 billion ($1.55 billion) from Mark Zuckerberg

Mark Zuckerberg (pictured), CEO of Meta, unsuccessfully attempted to buy AI start-up Thinking Machines Lab, co-founded by Australian Andrew Tulloch

In 2023, he moved to OpenAI, the research organisation behind ChatGPT, before joining former colleagues in forming Thinking Machines Lab this year.

The start-up cites its mission of making ‘AI systems more widely understood, customizable and generally capable’. 

Mr Tulloch was a vice captain at Christ Church Grammar in Claremont, Western Australia.

He achieved an ATAR of 99.95 in 2007 before graduating with first class honours and the university medal in mathematics at university in 2011.

He graduated with the highest GPA in the Faculty of Science. 

The Australian worked at Goldman Sachs as a quant while studying at the University of Cambridge. 

He completed a master’s in mathematical statistics and machine learning before embarking on his career in AI. 

Zuckerberg has a history of attempting to poach rival companies’ employees.

Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta branded the US$1 billion figure the company reportedly offered Andrew Tulloch ‘inaccurate and ridiculous’

In June, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman disclosed that Meta had proposed US$100 million ($155 million) bonuses to his team in a failed effort to attract talent to join them.

‘I’m really happy that at least so far none of our best people have decided to take them up on that,’ he said.

Insiders have noted that Meta leaders approached at least twelve Thinking Machines Lab employees earlier this year in an assertive talent acquisition attempt. To date, none have accepted the proposal.

According to reports, the 50-person startup raised a staggering $2 billion in seed funding within months, giving it a jaw-dropping valuation of  $12 billion.

Backers include Silicon Valley heavyweights Andreessen Horowitz, Accel and Jane Street, as well as tech giants Nvidia, AMD and Cisco. 

Even the Albanian government chipped in, reportedly investing $10 million. Alongside Tulloch, key staff include John Schulman, who co-founded OpenAI, and safety researcher Lilian Weng.