Meta has announced the formation of a new division, "Meta Superintelligence Labs," a strategic move aimed at accelerating its efforts in the field of artificial general intelligence (AGI).
The announcement comes as competition intensifies, with Meta successfully poaching high-profile names from rivals like OpenAI and Google and placing prominent tech leaders at the helm of the new unit.
In its determined push to strengthen its position in the heated AI race, Meta has unveiled a new research structure.
The new lab is designed to focus efforts on developing AGI—an advanced form of AI capable of reasoning and problem-solving at a level that matches or exceeds human intellect.
According to an internal memo from CEO Mark Zuckerberg, the division will bring together elite research teams working on the company's foundational models, such as the Llama software.
Recruiting Top Figures to Challenge Rivals
Meta didn't just stop at restructuring; it has bolstered its ranks with heavyweight leadership.
Sources familiar with the matter reported that Alexandr Wang, former CEO of Scale AI, will lead the new initiative as Meta's Chief AI Officer.
Wang's appointment follows Meta's acquisition of a significant stake in the data-labeling firm Scale AI.
Joining Wang in leading the new labs are Nat Friedman, former CEO of GitHub, and Daniel Gross, a well-known AI investor.
Friedman will oversee the company's AI products and applied research.
Mark Zuckerberg appears to have personally taken on the task of recruiting top talent.
Reports indicate that in recent weeks, he successfully brought on board approximately 11 new experts from competing companies.
The list includes prominent researchers from OpenAI and specialists from Google and Anthropic, in a move described as a "talent raid."
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman had previously noted that Meta was offering massive signing bonuses, reportedly up to $100 million, to lure away his employees.
While describing the competition as "aggressive," Altman expressed respect for Meta's efforts but questioned whether such a policy could build a positive work culture in the long run.
A High-Stakes Gamble for AGI
These significant efforts come at a time when Meta faces its own challenges, most notably the lukewarm reception and criticism surrounding its latest language model, Llama 4, which has allowed rivals like Google and OpenAI to gain momentum.
Furthermore, some analysts see this major bet on AGI as another potentially costly gamble, much like the company's Reality Labs division, which has consumed over $60 billion since 2020 without delivering tangible returns so far.
The path toward achieving superintelligence remains uncertain. Meta's own Chief AI Scientist, Yann LeCun, believes that current methods alone may not be sufficient to reach this sought-after goal.
