Meta Platforms has successfully recruited Jian Zhang, Apple’s lead artificial intelligence researcher in robotics, to join its Robotics Studio within the Reality Labs division. Zhang’s departure is part of a broader wave of AI talent leaving Apple—many heading to Meta, OpenAI, and Anthropic—a sign of shifting confidence in Apple’s AI strategy.
Why Meta is Targeting Robotics AI Talent from Apple
Meta’s ambitious robotics and AI infrastructure push is ramping up. The company is advancing work on humanoid robotics, AI-powered home automation, and next-gen Reality Labs hardware and systems. Zhang’s expertise in automation technologies reinforces Meta’s push into physically embodied AI—an area critical to its broader AI ambitions.
What’s Behind the Exodus from Apple?
Apple’s AI division is facing internal upheaval. Innovations like Apple Intelligence and an improved Siri rollout have seen delays, fuelling morale issues. Meanwhile, leadership debates—between continuing in-house development vs. relying on third-party AI models—have further destabilized Apple’s AI teams. These issues have made Meta’s aggressive compensation packages even more attractive.
Meta’s Strategy: Building a Superintelligence Talent Engine
This high-profile hire fits within Meta’s broader campaign to stock its Superintelligence Labs with elite AI talent. Previously, the company poached Ruoming Pang (head of Apple’s Foundation Models team), followed by two of his close collaborators, Mark Lee and Tom Gunter, all sourced from Apple. Pay packages reportedly include multi-million-dollar incentives, with Pang’s alone rumored at over $200 million.
What This Means for the Industry
- Meta gains valuable robotics AI capabilities—adding range and technical heft to its Reality Labs ventures.
- Apple faces serious talent drain, potentially slowing its work on robotics and in-house AI development.
- It underscores a broader AI talent war: companies like Meta are reshaping tech competition with payroll power and strategic vision.
