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Meta’s TBD Lab: Small, Talent-Dense Team Driving Next-Gen AI Models

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Meta’s TBD Lab, a research group within its Superintelligence Labs, consists of only “a few dozen” researchers and engineers, CFO Susan Li told investors at the Goldman Sachs Communacopia + Technology conference on Tuesday.

Key Details

  • Team size: “A few dozen” researchers and engineers, highly talent-dense.

  • Focus: Developing next-generation foundation models at the AI frontier over the next 1–2 years.

  • Name origin: “TBD” began as a placeholder (“to be determined”) but stuck, reflecting the exploratory nature of the group.

Meta’s AI Reorganization

  • Earlier this year, Meta split its AI efforts under Superintelligence Labs into four groups:

    1. TBD Lab – new, frontier-focused models.

    2. Products team – including the Meta AI assistant.

    3. Infrastructure team – scaling compute and systems.

    4. FAIR (Fundamental AI Research) – long-term research.

  • This restructuring followed senior staff exits and lukewarm reception for Meta’s Llama 4 model.

Leadership & Talent Push

  • CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been personally driving talent acquisition, reportedly reaching out to startup founders and top researchers directly — even via WhatsApp — with million-dollar offers.

  • The company’s AI ambitions are positioned as a long-term bet, combining frontier R&D, consumer AI products, and infrastructure scaling.

Strategic Significance

  • The compact size of TBD Lab emphasizes high-leverage innovation rather than large-scale manpower.

  • Its work will likely feed into both open-source and proprietary models, shaping Meta’s response to OpenAI, Google DeepMind, and Anthropic in the race for AI dominance.

  • If successful, TBD Lab could be key in restoring Meta’s competitive credibility in foundation models.

Meta Launches ‘Superintelligence Labs’ to Revive AI Strategy Amid Fierce Competition

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Meta is restructuring its artificial intelligence efforts under a new division called Meta Superintelligence Labs, in a bid to regain lost ground in the global AI race. According to a source familiar with the matter, the new unit will be headed by Alexandr Wang, the former CEO of data-labeling firm Scale AI, who now takes on the role of Chief AI Officer at Meta.

The move comes as Meta grapples with senior staff exits and underwhelming reception to its latest open-source model Llama 4, developments that have left rivals such as Google, OpenAI, and China’s DeepSeek in stronger positions. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg reportedly hopes the new lab will fast-track progress toward artificial general intelligence (AGI)—a long-term ambition to build machines that can surpass human intelligence.

In recent weeks, Zuckerberg has taken personal control of AI recruiting, targeting high-profile names with aggressive offers, including attempts to lure OpenAI co-founder Ilya Sutskever’s new startup Safe Superintelligence (SSI). Offers reportedly reached $1 million per candidate via direct WhatsApp outreach.

The shakeup includes Meta’s $14.3 billion investment in Scale AI earlier this month. In addition to Wang, the Superintelligence Labs will include SSI co-founder and CEO Daniel Gross, while former GitHub CEO Nat Friedman will co-lead the division, focusing on applied AI products.

Meta has also attracted talent from top AI firms, hiring at least 11 new AI researchers from OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google DeepMind. Notable names include Jack Rae and Pei Sun (DeepMind), Jiahui Yu, Shuchao Bi, Shengjia Zhao, and Hongyu Ren (OpenAI), as well as Joel Pobar (Anthropic), who had previously spent over a decade at Meta.

Earlier this month, OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman revealed that Meta had offered some of his staff $100 million bonuses to switch companies.

Despite the hiring blitz, some analysts are skeptical of Meta’s AGI strategy. They point to the company’s Reality Labs unit, which has burned over $60 billion since 2020 with few commercial wins, outside of Ray-Ban smart glasses and Quest headsets.

The broader tech sector is expected to spend $320 billion on AI development this year. Other firms are also making bold moves: Microsoft spent $650 million acquiring most of Inflection AI’s team, and Amazon has poached key personnel from Adept.

Still, the path to AGI remains uncertain. Meta’s own Chief AI Scientist Yann LeCun has publicly said that current methods are inadequate to reach true AGI. Meanwhile, SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son believes the breakthrough is within 10 years.

Meta to Acquire 49% Stake in Scale AI for Nearly $15 Billion, Reports Say

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Meta Platforms is reportedly set to purchase a 49% stake in AI data-labeling startup Scale AI for approximately $14.8 billion, according to The Information. The deal, which remains unfinalized, highlights Meta’s intensified efforts to strengthen its artificial intelligence capabilities amid mounting competition in the AI race.

Founded in 2016, Scale AI specializes in providing large volumes of labeled and curated training data essential for developing advanced AI tools, including those powering models like OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Scale AI’s investors, including Accel, Index Ventures, Founders Fund, and Greenoaks, are expected to benefit significantly from the deal.

Under the agreement, Scale AI CEO Alexandr Wang is expected to join Meta in a leadership role, heading a new “superintelligence” lab within the company. This move aligns with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s push to recruit top AI talent and accelerate innovation, especially after Meta’s recent Llama 4 models underperformed relative to expectations.

Meta’s ambitious plans include the forthcoming release of its major AI model, dubbed “Behemoth,” which has faced delays due to performance concerns, as reported by the Wall Street Journal. The company is also navigating ongoing antitrust scrutiny related to past acquisitions like Instagram and WhatsApp.

Industry analysts note that the deal’s structure may be designed to minimize regulatory hurdles, addressing heightened scrutiny of large tech mergers. Scale AI, valued at $13.8 billion in a recent funding round, reported $870 million in revenue in 2024 and forecasts over $2 billion in 2025. The company ended last year with more than $900 million in cash reserves.