Aug 26, 09:14 PM

Meta Hires Apple AI Executive Frank Chu Amid Staff Departures as OpenAI Faces Fundraising Delay, SoftBank $10bn Commitment at Risk

Meta Platforms Inc. has hired Frank Chu, a senior artificial intelligence executive from Apple, to join its Superintelligence Labs amid an overall hiring slowdown. Chu is at least the sixth AI professional to move from Apple to Meta, highlighting Meta's continued aggressive investment in AI despite cost concerns and a broader recruitment freeze. However, Meta's Superintelligence Labs, launched less than two months ago, is experiencing early staff departures, including three researchers who have left and two who returned to OpenAI shortly after joining. Among those leaving is Chaya Nayak, Meta's director of generative AI product management, who has joined OpenAI to work on special initiatives. Other notable exits include Avi Verma, Ethan Knight, and Rishabh Agarwal, who have extensive backgrounds in AI from companies such as Google Brain and DeepMind. These departures suggest challenges in execution and organizational stability within Meta's new AI division. Meanwhile, OpenAI is facing delays in its restructuring and fundraising efforts due to ongoing contract negotiations with Microsoft, which could impact a $10 billion commitment from SoftBank if unresolved by the end of the year.