Apple's Lead Robotics AI Researcher Joins Meta Amid Broader Talent Exodus

San Francisco, CA – Apple's lead artificial intelligence researcher for robotics, Jian Zhang, has departed the company to join Meta Platforms Inc.'s Robotics Studio, marking a significant talent shift in the competitive AI landscape. This move is part of a broader exodus of AI talent from the iPhone maker, with three additional researchers from Apple's Foundation Models team also leaving for rival firms.

Jian Zhang, who previously led a small academic team at Apple focused on automation technology and the role of AI in products, confirmed his move to Meta's Reality Labs division on Tuesday, September 3, 2025. At Meta, Zhang will be developing products within the Robotics Studio, signaling Meta's continued aggressive investment in robotics and embodied AI.

Separately, John Peebles and Nan Du, both from Apple's in-house large language models (LLMs) team, have joined OpenAI. Zhao Meng, another researcher from the same team, has moved to Anthropic PBC. These departures contribute to an ongoing trend, with Apple's Foundation Models group, central to the development of the Apple Intelligence platform, reportedly losing around 10 members in recent weeks, including its former head, Ruoming Pang, who also joined Meta.

The talent drain underscores the fierce competition among tech giants for top AI expertise, with companies like Meta, OpenAI, and Anthropic offering lucrative packages to attract leading researchers. Sources indicate that Meta, for instance, offered a multi-year package reportedly worth $200 million to Ruoming Pang. The timing is particularly sensitive for Apple, which launched its Apple Intelligence platform last year to a mixed reception and is reportedly debating internally whether to rely more on external AI models rather than solely on homegrown systems.

Apple's shares briefly dipped by 1.5% to $228.77 following the news, reflecting investor concerns over the company's ability to retain key AI personnel. While Apple is reportedly working on future robotics products, including a tabletop device with a moving screen and robotic arms, the continued departures raise questions about the morale within its AI division and its long-term strategy in the rapidly evolving artificial intelligence sector.