Apple loses key AI talent as robotics researcher jumps ship to join Meta

The fresh exits include robotics lead Jian Zhang and members of the Foundation Models team, triggering concerns about Apple's shift toward external AI and declining staff morale

Apple is facing a fresh wave of AI talent departures, with several of its high-profile researchers leaving the company for rival firms. The latest blow came with the departure of Jian Zhang, Apple’s lead robotics researcher, who has joined Meta Platforms Inc’s Robotics Studio, part of its Reality Labs division.

 

Zhang, who previously led a small academic team at Apple focusing on automation and AI applications, will now be developing products for Meta’s robotics initiative. Zhang’s group was part of Apple’s artificial intelligence and machine learning division, separate from its product-focused robotics organisation.

More exits from Apple’s AI division

Alongside Zhang’s departure, three more researchers, John Peebles, Nan Du, and Zhao Meng, are leaving Apple’s large language model team, according to Bloomberg. The trio was part of Apple’s Foundation Models team, central to the development of the Apple Intelligence platform, launched last year as the tech giant’s attempt to stay competitive in the fast-moving AI sector.

 

The group has lost around 10 members in recent weeks, including its former chief of AI models team Ruoming Pang, who accepted a multi-year package reportedly worth $200 million to join Meta. Peebles and Du are set to join OpenAI, while Zhao Meng is moving to Anthropic PBC. 

Challenges mount for Apple’s AI plans

Apple is conducting internal discussions to shift towards using external AI models rather than relying entirely on its in-house systems, according to a Bloomberg report. The lukewarm response to Apple Intelligence has further dampened morale within its teams, with several more staff said to be actively exploring opportunities with other companies.

 

Apple is planning a series of new devices that make robotics a critical element of its future pipeline. Meanwhile, Meta is investing heavily in robotics, smart glasses, and AI-powered features, alongside work on an operating system and hardware for humanoid robots.

Mark Zuckerberg’s recruitment drive

At the centre of this talent war is Mark Zuckerberg, who has been offering lucrative packages, some reportedly worth up to $100 million, to attract leading researchers. His latest initiative, Meta Superintelligence Labs, aims to develop AI systems capable of outperforming humans. 

 

In recent weeks, Meta has recruited Lucas Beyer, a key figure behind the vision transformer at OpenAI; Apple’s Ruoming Pang, and Alexandr Wang, former CEO of Scale AI, who has taken on the role of Chief AI Officer at Meta. Their arrival has attracted other notable figures, including tech investors Nat Friedman and Daniel Gross, further boosting Meta’s momentum.

 

Meta has also appointed Shengjia Zhao, an early OpenAI researcher and member of the original ChatGPT team, as chief scientist of its superintelligence group. Zhao, who joined Meta in June, will oversee the development of advanced AI models and report directly to Alexandr Wang.