Zuckerberg is splitting Meta's AI division into specialized teams, signaling both rapid growth and internal shake-ups.
Mark Zuckerberg is once again shaking up Meta’s AI division. This time with plans to split the Meta Superintelligence Labs into four distinct units. According to The New York Times, this restructuring is aimed at accelerating Meta's AI development and enhancing its competitiveness in the race for AI technologies.
The new structure will include a team dedicated to AI research, a team focused on developing a superintelligence model, a unit for product-focused AI, and another for AI infrastructure. Moreover, this split is designed to ”better organize Meta to develop AI products more quickly” and challenge competitors such as OpenAI and Google in their Artificial Intelligence ventures.
According to reports, the company is also expected to scale down its AI division. This could include layoffs, as well as the shifting of roles across other parts of the company.
A Bold Strategy for Superintelligence
This overhaul follows Zuckerberg's earlier commitment to Meta's AI vision. In June, the company launched a superintelligence lab aimed at developing an AI that could potentially outperform the human brain. To fuel this ambitious plan, Meta invested $14.3 billion in Scale AI and brought Alexandr Wang, Scale’s CEO, on board as Meta's new chief AI officer.
Meta has also poached AI talent from rivals like OpenAI and Google, with some researchers reportedly receiving multi-million-dollar offers. Zuckerberg said in a recent interview, pointing to the future of superintelligence as central to Meta’s plans for a new era of empowerment.
“I think we have a genuine opportunity to build something really special here,”
Despite the excitement around these bold moves, tensions within Meta's AI ranks are growing. Several high-profile AI executives have left, while others remain unhappy with the company's shift toward more closed-source AI models.
Traditionally, Meta has been a proponent of open-source AI, allowing other developers to build on its work. However, the new team has discussed making its next AI model ‘closed,’ which would mark a significant departure from that philosophy.
What’s at Stake for Meta?
Zuckerberg’s latest decisions come as Meta seeks to solidify its role as a leader in the AI race, a position that now requires significant financial investment. With billions spent on new hires, data infrastructure, and product development, Zuckerberg’s push for superintelligence has clear stakes. He has positioned Meta as a key player in AI. But only time will tell whether this restructuring will bear fruit or further deepen internal divides.
Meta’s capital expenditures are expected to rise to $72 billion this year, largely driven by AI investments in infrastructure and talent acquisition. But with this bold bet on the future, Zuckerberg remains committed to developing AI products that will transform both Meta’s business and the tech landscape as a whole.
