Meta Strengthens AI Team with New Leadership Appointment
Meta has announced a significant addition to its leadership team in the artificial intelligence sector. On Friday, the company appointed Shengjia Zhao, co-creator of ChatGPT, as the chief scientist of its newly established Superintelligence Labs. Zhao, who previously served as the lead scientist at OpenAI, will be responsible for setting the research agenda and scientific direction of this new lab, which aims to develop advanced AI technologies.
In his announcement, Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, emphasized the importance of this role, stating that Zhao has been instrumental in the formation of the lab from its inception. “Shengjia co-founded the new lab and has been our lead scientist from day one,” Zuckerberg noted in a statement shared on his Threads account. This strategic move comes as part of Meta’s ongoing efforts to enhance its AI capabilities and attract top talent in the highly competitive field.
As the AI landscape evolves, questions arose regarding the implications of Zhao’s appointment for Yann LeCun, who has been Meta’s chief AI scientist since joining in 2013. LeCun leads the Fundamental AI Research (FAIR) department, which focuses on long-term AI research and the development of next-generation AI paradigms. To clarify his position, LeCun took to LinkedIn, stating, “My role as Chief Scientist for FAIR has always been focused on long-term AI research and building the next AI paradigms. My role and FAIR’s mission are unchanged.”
Zuckerberg and Alexandr Wang, Meta’s chief AI officer, confirmed LeCun’s continued importance in the organization. In an internal memo released in June, Zuckerberg differentiated between FAIR and the Superintelligence Labs, explaining that while both departments work on AI, they focus on different aspects. FAIR has been instrumental in advancing AI technology over the past decade, including the release of the open-source large language model, Llama, in 2023. LeCun is now concentrating on developing a new type of AI model known as a world model, which could potentially replace current large language models.
The Superintelligence Labs will serve as an umbrella department encompassing FAIR, foundational research, and product teams. According to Zuckerberg, the goal of the Superintelligence Labs is to create “personal superintelligence for everyone.” This initiative reflects Meta’s ambition to remain at the forefront of AI innovation amidst increasing competition in the sector.
In a demonstration of collaboration, LeCun expressed his enthusiasm for working alongside Zhao. He stated, “I’m looking forward to working with Shengjia to accelerate the integration of new research into our most advanced models.” The synergy between their expertise is expected to propel Meta’s AI initiatives further.
As the AI talent wars continue to intensify, Meta’s strategic hiring of Zhao signifies its commitment to advancing artificial intelligence and solidifying its position in the industry.
