Meta Platforms (META) is restructuring its artificial intelligence (A.I.) unit and pausing its hiring
of researchers and engineers.
The pause comes after Meta shelled out millions of dollars to hire A.I. experts away from competitors such as OpenAI. It also comes amid a broad restructuring of the A.I. group.
In recent days, Meta Platforms has said that it has divided its A.I. unit into four internal teams.
Those include a team focused on building machine superintelligence, an A.I. products division, an infrastructure unit, and a division focused on long-term projects and exploration.
All four groups belong to “Meta Superintelligence Labs,” a name that reflects Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mark Zuckerberg’s desire to build A.I. that surpasses human intelligence.
In pursuit of that goal, Meta has been spending heavily on A.I., including to hire top talent. Meta is reported to have offered new hires signing bonuses of up to $100 million U.S.
Other mega-cap technology companies have also been pouring billions of dollars into A.I. talent, research and infrastructure, including Microsoft (MSFT) and Google parent Alphabet (GOOGL).
The reorganization and hiring pause at Meta come amid growing concerns that investments in A.I. are moving too fast and amid a selloff of U.S. technology stocks.
META stock has declined nearly 5% so far this week, although the company’s share price is still up 25% on the year and trading at $747.72 U.S.
