Meta makes 'big bet' on top leaders with stock options as pressure builds to catch up in AI

is granting stock options to key leaders in an effort to retain talent as pressure intensifies on the company to bolster its position in artificial intelligence.

The executives in the incentive plan include CFO Susan Li, technology chief Andrew Bosworth, Chief Product Officer Christopher Cox and operating chief Javier Olivan, according to SEC filings released on Tuesday evening. CEO Mark Zuckerberg, with a net worth of over $200 billion, is not part of the plan.

A high strike price and the relatively short timeline for achieving the goals are an indication of Meta’s urgency to show progress in the rapidly growing AI market. While OpenAI, Anthropic and Google

have rolled out popular AI models and features, Meta has struggled to find a consistent strategy even as it plans to shell out up to $135 billion this year in capital expenditures.

“This is a big bet,” a Meta spokesperson said in a statement. “These pay packages will not be realized unless Meta achieves massive future success, benefiting all of our shareholders. As with all stock options, there is only value if the share price meaningfully exceeds the exercise price, and in this case, it must be on an exceedingly aggressive 5-year timeline.”