Meta Intensifies AI Talent War with OpenAI, Shifts Focus Toward AGI

Meta has aggressively recruited top AI researchers from OpenAI, including Lucas Beyer, Alexander Kolesnikov, and Xiaohua Zhai, with reported $100 million retention packages. The MOVE signals escalating competition in artificial intelligence development, particularly in the race for artificial general intelligence (AGI).

Despite being an open-source AI leader, Meta faces challenges with model performance and talent retention. The delayed launch of Llama 4 after failing internal benchmarks has prompted strategic shifts, including the high-profile hiring of Scale AI CEO Alexandr Wang and a $14.3 billion investment in Scale AI.

Mark Zuckerberg is personally leading efforts to assemble a 50-person AGI research team, reflecting Meta's determination to compete with Google, OpenAI, and China's DeepSeek. The recruitment drive comes as industry sources suggest Meta now views OpenAI as its primary rival in advanced AI development.