AI Developers in Israel Command High Salaries and Stock Options
Companies developing artificial intelligence platforms in Israel are offering researchers and engineers monthly salaries ranging from 50,000 to 90,000 shekels (gross), in addition to stock options and other benefits. These positions are sought after by mathematicians, programmers, and machine learning specialists. AI researchers focus on training models with large datasets, writing code, and evaluating model performance, while engineers build the software and infrastructure for AI experiments and deployment. Many candidates hold master's or PhD degrees, though companies also hire exceptional bachelor's graduates with strong academic or military backgrounds, prioritizing learning ability and potential over extensive experience, according to Globes.
An example of this high demand is the first Israeli team formed by SSI, a company founded by OpenAI co-founder Ilya Sutskever. In March 2025, researchers and engineers from Google, including Dr. Yair Carmon from Tel Aviv University and Nitzan Tur, a three-time winner of a global mathematics competition, joined the team. Recruitment for this group was conducted through personal connections rather than recruitment agencies.
Companies are involved in various aspects of AI, from creating proprietary models to enhancing existing ones or building products upon them. Amnon Shashua's doubleAI project, described as a "frontier lab," focuses on developing its own models and advancing AI research. This lab reportedly employs around 30 individuals and is actively recruiting specialists.
Data from GotFriends indicates that the average salary for generative AI developers in the first half of 2025 was approximately 46,800 shekels. Managers who led AI teams and implemented these technologies earned between 60,000 and 80,000 shekels, often with bonuses. These figures represent broader categories, not necessarily the highest-paid leading researchers. In major tech firms, stock and bonuses can form a substantial part of total compensation. For instance, Meta employees in Israel have an estimated annual total compensation of around 974,000 shekels, and Nvidia employees around 945,000 shekels, according to Levels.fyi user data. For startups, stock options offer the potential for significant financial gains tied to company growth, though the ultimate return depends on business success and the ability to sell shares.
