Meta Platforms is cutting about 600 jobs in its AI division, according to an internal memo that was viewed by The Wall Street Journal and a person familiar with the matter.
The job cuts will affect the company’s teams focused on artificial-intelligence products, infrastructure and long-term AI research, but won’t touch TBD Lab, the new team that houses most of Meta Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg’s multimillion-dollar hires, the memo said.
Since the lackluster launch of Meta’s latest Llama large language model in the spring, the company has been on a crusade to reset its AI plans and stay competitive with other leading companies racing to develop cutting-edge AI technology.
Meta acquired a 49% stake in startup Scale AI and hired its CEO, Wang, to run a newly formed AI division focused on developing so-called superintelligence. Zuckerberg also became the company’s recruiter-in-chief, personally reaching out to prospective AI hires to invite them to his homes for meals and pitches on why they should join his company. Another part of the pitch was lofty multimillion-dollar pay packages.
Meta ultimately managed to poach more than 50 engineers, researchers and other employees from competitors like OpenAI, Alphabet’s Google and Apple. Many of those hires are part of the secretive TBD Lab team at Meta, which has taken over development of the company’s models.
That team sits near Zuckerberg’s desk at Meta’s Menlo Park, Calif., headquarters and has separate badges to get into their designated section. None of the people on the team were affected by Wednesday’s cuts, according to the memo.