Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is recruiting top AI talent to develop advanced artificial intelligence systems capable of surpassing human cognitive abilities, according to a Bloomberg report.
The social media giant’s leader has reportedly hosted private meetings with leading AI researchers at his Lake Tahoe and Palo Alto residences, signaling a renewed push toward artificial general intelligence (AGI) – AI that can perform any intellectual task a human can.
Sources indicate Zuckerberg is personally overseeing the formation of a specialized “superintelligence” research group, positioning Meta to compete more aggressively against rivals like OpenAI, Google DeepMind, and Anthropic in the race for AGI dominance.
Key developments include:
– Immediate plans to hire approximately 50 specialists, including a head of AI research
– Physical reorganization of Meta’s Menlo Park offices to place the new team adjacent to Zuckerberg’s workspace
– Pending multibillion-dollar investment in Scale AI, a data labeling and AI training platform
– Expected recruitment of Scale AI founder Alexandr Wang to the initiative
This strategic shift follows Meta’s recent launch of its Llama 4-powered AI assistant, positioned as a free alternative to paid services like ChatGPT Plus and Gemini Advanced. Despite integrating AI across its product ecosystem – including Facebook, WhatsApp, and smart glasses – Meta continues to trail industry leaders in perceived AI capability.
The move represents one of Zuckerberg’s most direct interventions in Meta’s AI development strategy since refocusing the company on the metaverse in 2021. Industry analysts suggest this could signal a reallocation of resources toward foundational AI research amid growing competition in generative AI applications.