In the high-stakes arms race for the future of AI large models, the competition for top talent has reached a fever pitch. Yesterday evening, we reported on ByteDance's initiative to recruit 100 AI prodigies globally.

Today, according to an exclusive report from LatePost, Dark Side of the Moon is set to launch a new campus recruitment program targeting top talent, with plans to grant company stock options to interns who have not yet graduated.

Dubbed the 'Time Travel Plan,' this initiative targets graduates from the class of 2027, with an initial intake of 16 individuals. After a 3- to 6-month evaluation period at Dark Side of the Moon, selected interns will be directly granted stock options, even before their official graduation.

This means that top students can become 'prospective shareholders' of this AI unicorn, valued at a soaring $18 billion, as early as their internship period. Such a move is rare in the internet and AI industries, where equity and option incentives are typically reserved for core, permanent employees. With this initiative, Dark Side of the Moon aims to secure the most promising future stars nearly a year in advance.

The 'Time Travel Plan' has an initial intake of only 16 individuals, with no restrictions on job types and almost no rigid requirements for majors or educational backgrounds. Selected candidates will undergo a 3- to 6-month internship evaluation, after which they will be granted stock options upon passing. This represents a 'binding' based on deep identify with ( identify with can be translated as 'recognition' or 'alignment' in this context) and long-term value.

Why Now? The 'Law of Attraction' of Soaring Option Values

Behind Dark Side of the Moon's move lies an astonishing surge in its market valuation and the value of its stock options in a short period. Just last November, the company's valuation hovered around $4 billion. However, with its new-generation model, K2.5, ranking among the international elite and its intelligent agent product, OpenClaw, sparking widespread market imagination, Dark Side of the Moon has completed multiple rounds of financing in just three months, with its current valuation rapidly climbing to $18 billion.

The unit price of options has increased more than fourfold in a few months—a highly enticing wealth growth expectation that only top AI startups on an explosive growth trajectory can offer. Dark Side of the Moon is attempting to use this 'talent premium that only startups can provide' to offset the advantages of internet giants in terms of cash compensation and stability.

Beyond Money: Building a Gravitational Field with 'Taste' and a 'Utopian' Atmosphere

Of course, if one believes that Dark Side of the Moon relies solely on financial expectations to attract talent, they may underestimate its organizational charm. In a recent report by Renwu Magazine, Dark Side of the Moon was described as a community united by a group of geniuses through a certain 'unquantifiable technological taste.' There, departmental barriers are blurred, with no complex hierarchical or OKR constraints, and reporting lines are simplified to the point of 'unreality,' resembling more of a 'utopian' laboratory dedicated to exploring technological frontiers.

This extremely flat, free, and geek-spirited 'AI Native' organizational form constitutes its unique appeal to top talent, especially those 'non-traditional' geniuses. Reports mention that even when rival companies offer double the salary to poach employees, some unhesitatingly decline. Here, the sense of value identify with (recognition or alignment) in co-creating and the excitement of exploring boundaries sometimes outweigh mere money.

Dark Side of the Moon's talent pool indeed exhibits a high degree of 'atypical' characteristics. For instance, one of the authors of the paper 'Attention Residuals,' related to its core product Kimi, which was praised by Elon Musk, was Chen Guangyu, a 17-year-old high school intern at the time. The company has proven through its actions that it values talent and potential over credentials.

When it comes to coveted talent, Dark Side of the Moon and its founder spare no expense or effort. According to a previous report by LatePost, to recruit a key technical personnel, founder Yang Zhilin once flew from Beijing to Shenzhen for a ten-hour in-depth conversation, returning on an early morning flight the next day. This hands-on approach and high level of attention from the founder serve as the best endorsement of talent value.

Currently, the competition for AI talent is intensifying, with a notable trend towards younger candidates. Major model vendors have long set their sights on the most promising graduating students. With only slightly over 300 employees, Dark Side of the Moon's recruitment logic is not mass expansion but precisely seeking out top individuals who 'share the same wavelength.'

The name 'Time Travel Plan' embodies this expectation: to find true 'kindred spirits' to navigate the long cycles of technology, markets, and industries alongside the company. Monolith founding partner Cao Xi once evaluate (can be translated as 'commented' or 'remarked') Dark Side of the Moon for 'achieving the best state with the least money, the fewest people, and the fewest cards.' The 'Time Travel Plan' aims to sustain this efficient and top-notch 'best state.'