Meta Divides AI Superintelligence Labs into Four Groups, Eyes External Models

Meta Platforms is reportedly undergoing a significant internal restructuring of its artificial intelligence division, "Meta Superintelligence Labs," while actively exploring the integration of third-party AI models into its products. This potential shift marks a departure from the company's traditional reliance solely on its own proprietary AI technology. As one source noted, > "In what would be a shift from Meta using only its own technology to power its A.I. products, the company is also actively exploring using third-party artificial intelligence models to do so, the people said."

The internal announcement, made recently, will see the Superintelligence Labs split into four distinct groups: MSL Product, MSL Research, MSL Infra, and MSL Ops. This reorganization comes amid reports of internal tensions within the AI division and is aimed at streamlining operations. Alexandr Wang, Meta's new chief AI officer, is leading this ambitious push to accelerate the company's pursuit of advanced AI.

The consideration of licensing "closed-source" models from other companies signifies Meta's aggressive push to enhance its AI capabilities and better compete with industry leaders like OpenAI and Google. This strategic pivot aims to accelerate product development and ensure Meta remains at the forefront of the rapidly evolving AI landscape. The company has also been on a significant hiring spree, recruiting top AI talent from rivals, including Ruoming Pang from Apple's AI models team, with compensation packages reportedly in the tens of millions.

Despite exploring external models, Meta continues to invest heavily in its foundational AI research and open-source initiatives, exemplified by its Llama models and advancements from its Fundamental AI Research (FAIR) team. The Llama 3.1 405B model, for instance, is positioned as competitive with leading proprietary models. This move by Meta mirrors a broader industry trend, with Apple also reportedly considering third-party AI models from companies like Anthropic and OpenAI for its Siri voice assistant, facing similar internal challenges.

The strategic overhaul underscores Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg's commitment to AI as a top priority, willing to significantly reshape the company to stay relevant in the competitive field. The shift could allow Meta to quickly integrate cutting-edge AI functionalities, potentially impacting its long-term vision, including its metaverse initiatives. The social media comment "Metaverse anyone?" reflects the evolving focus within the tech giant's strategic priorities.