Highlights:
- Smallest AI founder Sudarshan Kamath invites affected Meta staff to apply for speech technology roles
- Base salaries range from $200,000 to $600,000 with equity options
- Meta recently cut around 600 jobs across its artificial intelligence division
- Other tech founders also reached out to hire displaced Meta employees
Startup steps in after Meta layoffs
Following Meta’s decision to cut around 600 positions from its artificial intelligence division, San Francisco-based startup Smallest AI has opened recruitment for those impacted by the move.
Founded by Indian-origin entrepreneur Sudarshan Kamath, the company focuses on advanced speech technology. Kamath announced the hiring initiative on social media, offering opportunities in the firm’s speech engineering and research teams.
“Laid off from Meta? We are hiring in the speech team for Smallest AI in San Francisco!” Kamath wrote, inviting qualified individuals to contact him directly.
Competitive salaries and equity
Kamath said the available roles would offer base salaries between $200,000 and $600,000, along with equity-based compensation. He noted that candidates should have strong experience in speech evaluation, speech generation, and full-duplex speech-to-speech systems.
The founder emphasized that the selection process would be highly competitive, describing the ideal applicants as “smart and hungry.”
Wider reaction across the tech community
Kamath’s move comes amid a wave of outreach from other tech founders looking to attract Meta’s displaced talent.
Ben Taylor, founder of Spec, wrote, “To everyone impacted by today’s Meta AI layoffs: the work you’ve done has shaped how all of us think about intelligence. If you’ve been part of what made Meta AI great and are looking for what’s next, my DMs are open.”
Similarly, Lucas Atkins of Arcee AI invited affected engineers to join his team, while Carina Hong from Axiom posted, “You are world-class. We have read your work. You deserve a new place you call home.”
Meta’s internal restructuring
Meta’s layoffs affected its AI infrastructure, Fundamental Artificial Intelligence Research (FAIR), and AI product divisions. Some employees are expected to be reassigned internally as part of the company’s restructuring efforts.
Reports suggest that the severance package included at least 16 weeks of pay, covering employment through November 2025.
Despite the cuts, Meta’s TBD Lab continues to expand under CEO Mark Zuckerberg, with ongoing recruitment of engineers and researchers from other major tech firms.
