Apple’s Lead AI Researcher for Robotics Joins Meta Amid Talent Exodus

Apple Inc.'s lead artificial intelligence researcher for robotics, Jian Zhang, has departed the company to join Meta Platforms Inc.'s Robotics Studio. The move highlights a growing exodus of AI talent from the iPhone Maker as competition for top-tier researchers intensifies.

Three additional AI researchers—John Peebles, Nan Du, and Zhao Meng—have also left Apple's in-house large language models team in recent weeks. The departures follow the exit of roughly 10 members from the Apple Foundation Models group, including its chief. This team played a central role in developing the Apple Intelligence platform, a cornerstone of the company's AI strategy.

The talent drain comes as tech giants vie for dominance in artificial intelligence and robotics. Meta's aggressive hiring signals its commitment to advancing AI-driven automation, while Apple faces mounting pressure to retain key personnel in a hyper-competitive market.