# swyx says acquihire rates for AI engineers reach $10–100M each

> Original title: you thought i was kidding

- Source: swyx
- Published: 2026-11-04T18:30:12.000Z
- Bad Influence: https://badinfluence.news/items/m4kwzpqt17v0mi6r28ckqr4fl
- Original: https://x.com/swyx/status/2118048180168483229

## Summary

swyx says building a leading open-source AI engineering project now draws acquihire offers of about $10 million to $100 million per AI engineer. He adds that such projects need no business model, go-to-market plan, or funding, only tools that AI agents want to use.

## Post

you thought i was kidding

![](https://badinfluence.news/api/img-proxy?u=https%3A%2F%2Fpbs.twimg.com%2Fmedia%2FHWTRlVTbIAA1pfe.jpg&mode=thumb&exp=1794009600&sig=d8cbfecfe8b1e2bc)

## Quoted post @swyx

> btw if you can build a category leader open source project in ai engineering right now the market acquihire rate is ~$10-$100m per ai engineer.
> 
> you do not need to figure out a business model, you do not need GTM, you do not need funding.
> 
> just build things clankers want.

https://x.com/swyx/status/2031071059307601944