Meta Launches Superintelligence Lab, Taps Scale AI Founder to Lead

Meta is restructuring its artificial intelligence division under a new initiative aimed at building AI systems that can match or exceed human capabilities, according to an internal memo from CEO Mark Zuckerberg and reviewed by Bloomberg.

The newly formed group, Meta Superintelligence Labs (MSL), will be led by Alexandr Wang, founder of the data-labeling startup Scale AI. Wang will serve as Meta’s chief AI officer. Nat Friedman, former CEO of GitHub, will partner with Wang to oversee product development and applied research.

“As the pace of AI progress accelerates, developing superintelligence is coming into sight,” Zuckerberg wrote. “I believe this will be the beginning of a new era for humanity, and I am fully committed to doing what it takes for Meta to lead the way.”

Building Toward Superintelligence

Meta’s new MSL unit will consolidate several existing AI teams, including those working on large language models, generative AI products, and the company’s long-standing Fundamental AI Research (FAIR) team. A new lab will also be created to develop next-generation AI models.

The company plans to invest “hundreds of billions” of dollars over the next few years to advance AI infrastructure, including chips, data centers, and top talent. That investment underscores how central AI has become to Meta’s long-term strategy, as it competes with companies like OpenAI and Google.

Zuckerberg acknowledged the risk of overspending in AI, but defended the aggressive pace.

“There’s a meaningful chance that a lot of the companies are overbuilding now,” he said previously. “But... the downside of being behind is that you’re out of position for, like, the most important technology for the next 10 to 15 years.”

Strategic Hires and Industry Moves

Alongside the announcement, Zuckerberg confirmed 11 new hires to the MSL team. They include researchers and engineers from some of the most prominent names in AI:

• Former DeepMind scientists Jack Rae and Pei Sun

• OpenAI researchers Jiahui Yu, Shuchao Bi, Shengjia Zhao, and Hongyu Ren

• Anthropic’s Joel Pobar, a former Meta engineer

Earlier this month, Meta invested $14.3 billion in Scale AI, bringing Wang on board in the process. The company has also been in acquisition talks with other AI startups, including Perplexity AI Inc., Runway AI Inc., and the voice-generation firm PlayAI.

Zuckerberg has been personally involved in recruiting for the AI initiative, reportedly hosting candidates at his homes in Palo Alto and Lake Tahoe. Compensation packages have included stock grants valued in the tens of millions, highlighting the intense competition for top AI talent.

What This Means

Meta’s launch of the Superintelligence Lab marks a shift from building AI products to pursuing foundational breakthroughs in artificial general intelligence. By bringing in Alexandr Wang and consolidating top researchers from rival firms, Meta is signaling its ambition to be at the forefront of AI’s next phase.

Superintelligence—AI that can outperform humans across a wide range of tasks—has long been seen as a transformative milestone. If realized, it could unlock advances in science, medicine, education, and more. But it also raises critical questions about control, safety, and social impact.

This bold bet aligns with a broader industry trend: tech giants racing to lead in AI, regardless of the cost. For Meta, the strategy is clear—falling behind in AI isn’t an option, even if it means betting big now.

Editor’s Note: This article was created by Alicia Shapiro, CMO of AiNews.com, with writing, image, and idea-generation support from ChatGPT, an AI assistant. However, the final perspective and editorial choices are solely Alicia Shapiro’s. Special thanks to ChatGPT for assistance with research and editorial support in crafting this article.