Meta Launches Superintelligence Labs, Expands AI Hiring
On July 1, 2025, Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta Platforms, announced a major overhaul of the company’s artificial intelligence division with the launch of Meta Superintelligence Labs (MSL). Meta has formed a new unit to bring together its AI research, product development, and foundational model teams. This includes its open-source Llama models and the Fundamental AI Research (FAIR) group, all unified under one umbrella to focus on building artificial general intelligence (AGI).
The Vision for Superintelligence
Mark described the initiative as a step toward developing “superintelligence”, or AI systems capable of performing tasks as well as or better than humans. In an internal memo, he stated, “This is the beginning of a new era for humanity, and we’re all in”.
Leadership at Meta Superintelligence Labs
At the helm of Meta Superintelligence Labs is Alexandr Wang, former CEO of Scale AI, who joins Meta as Chief AI Officer. Mark referred to Alexandr as “the most impressive founder of his generation”. Alexandr will be joined by Nat Friedman, former CEO of GitHub, who will lead AI product development and applied research.
Next-Generation AI Models and Applications
Alexandr Wang and Nat Friedman will lead Meta’s efforts to develop next-generation AI models and applications. Their focus will be on scalability, personalization, and seamless integration across Meta’s platforms.
High-Profile AI Hiring Spree
Meta has also made headlines for its high-profile hiring spree, bringing in 11 top AI researchers from competitors such as OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, and DeepMind. Notable hires include:
- Researchers who have worked on cutting-edge models like GPT-4o, Gemini, and other voice and multimodal AI systems.
Investments in Infrastructure
Meta’s push toward superintelligence is backed by significant infrastructure investments. The company recently invested $14.3 billion in Scale AI, bringing in Alexandr and other staff. Meta is in talks to acquire PlayAI, a startup specializing in AI-driven voice replication. It has also held separate discussions with Perplexity AI and Runway AI.
Mark has indicated that Meta will spend “hundreds of billions” on AI development over the coming years, including chips, data centers, and model training. He acknowledged that while some companies may be overbuilding, the risk of falling behind in AI is too great to ignore.
