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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.

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Meta’s Chief AI Scientist Explore AI Collaboration Opportunities

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Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw held a significant meeting with Meta’s Chief AI Scientist, Yann LeCun, on Saturday, focusing on collaborative opportunities in artificial intelligence (AI). This engagement underscores India’s commitment to harnessing AI technology to boost both industry growth and educational advancement. The meeting also highlights Meta’s interest in supporting India’s AI initiatives, aligning with the government’s broader vision for AI’s role in the nation’s future.

In a social media post on X, Minister Vaishnaw shared the progress of India’s AI Mission, noting how it has successfully fostered partnerships across industry, government, and academia. The AI Mission is a substantial push from the Indian government aimed at creating a collaborative ecosystem, where cutting-edge AI technology can be developed and applied to solve real-world problems. These collaborations are not only intended to fuel innovation but also to ensure that India builds a sustainable AI infrastructure.

One major highlight from the meeting was the collaboration between Meta and IIT Jodhpur, which is set to launch a Center of Excellence (CoE) in Generative AI. This CoE will focus on advancing generative AI research, potentially setting India as a hub for development in this field. Generative AI, known for its transformative applications in language models, media creation, and more, is an area where India seeks to establish a strong foothold. With Meta’s expertise and IIT Jodhpur’s academic resources, this initiative could mark a leap forward in the nation’s AI capabilities.

Additionally, Vaishnaw pointed to the YuvAI Skilling program, a partnership between Meta and the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), aiming to train 100,000 students in large language models (LLMs) and other foundational AI skills. This program is expected to empower the next generation of AI professionals in India, creating a highly skilled workforce that can drive innovation and meet the rising demand for AI expertise in the global market. Through such initiatives, India is not only advancing its AI agenda but is also positioning itself as a global player in the AI domain