I left $15 lakh on the table at my first AI job because I didn't negotiate.

The offer was good. Better than I expected. So I said yes immediately, grateful to be picked. A colleague hired the same week, with similar experience, negotiated for two days and got 25% more.

Same role. Same team. Same qualifications. He just asked.

What I've learned about salary negotiation in AI:

Know your market rate. Use levels.fyi, Glassdoor, and honest conversations with peers. AI roles have wide ranges — the difference between bottom and top of band can be 50%.

Negotiate on total compensation, not just base salary. Stock, bonus, signing bonus, learning budget, remote flexibility, GPU access for personal projects — these all have value.

Have a competing offer if possible. Nothing moves a number faster.

And the most important thing: practice saying "I'd like to discuss the compensation" out loud until it feels natural. Because the first time you say it in a real negotiation, it will feel terrifying.

Companies expect negotiation. The budget exists. The worst they can say is "this is our best offer." And even then, you've signaled that you value yourself.

Never accept the first number. Ever.