ML/AI Engineer | Adept AI Global Negotiation Guide
Negotiation DNA: Growth Comp + Pre-IPO Equity | $1B+ Valuation (Amazon Acquired Team) | San Francisco | +15-30% ML PREMIUM | AI Agent Models
| Region | Base Salary | Equity (Pre-IPO/4yr) | Bonus | Total Comp |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $195K-$280K | $130K-$360K | — | $228K-$370K |
| Seattle | $189K-$272K | $130K-$360K | — | $222K-$362K |
| Remote US | $176K-$252K | $117K-$324K | — | $205K-$333K |
Negotiating a ML/AI Engineer offer at Adept AI?
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Get My Playbook — $39 →Negotiation DNA ML/AI Engineers at Adept AI build the models that power autonomous AI agents — computer vision for screen understanding, action prediction models, reinforcement learning for multi-step workflow execution, and the multimodal architectures that enable agents to understand and interact with arbitrary software. The +15-30% ML Premium reflects the extreme demand for engineers who can build autonomous agent systems. This is the frontier of AI: models that don't just generate content but take action in the real world.
Level Mapping: Adept ML/AI Engineer = Amazon Applied Scientist II-III = Google L4-L6 ML Engineer = Meta ML IC4-IC6
The Amazon Partnership Premium Amazon's compute resources enable ambitious model training, and enterprise distribution provides real-world deployment opportunities.
Global Levers
- ML Premium (+15-30%): "AI agent ML — screen understanding, action prediction, RL for workflows — is the most in-demand ML specialty. That premium: $275K base and $350K equity/4yr."
- Agentic AI Frontier: "Building models that take autonomous action in real software is the hardest and most valuable ML problem. That frontier premium: $270K base."
- Competing Offers: "OpenAI offers $270K / $600K equity for agent work. Anthropic at $265K / $500K equity. Adept's singular agent focus: $275K base."
- Enterprise Automation Value: "My agent models automate enterprise workflows worth millions. That value creation: $270K base."
Negotiate Up Strategy: "I'm an ML engineer specializing in agentic AI — screen understanding, action prediction, and workflow automation. Holding OpenAI at $270K / $600K equity. Adept's singular focus on AI agents is the most compelling ML opportunity. To join: $275K base, $345K equity/4yr, and a $50K signing bonus. Floor is $245K."
Evidence & Sources
- Levels.fyi ML engineer and Amazon Applied Scientist compensation (2025-2026)
- Glassdoor Adept AI ML salary reports
- Blind verified ML engineer offers at AI agent companies (2025-2026)
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