AI Pioneer Yann LeCun Leaves Meta After 12 Years to Launch World Models Startup
19 Sources
[1]
Meta's Chief AI Scientist is leaving the company after 12 years
One of Meta's top AI researchers, Yann LeCun, is leaving after 12 years with the company to found his own AI startup, he announced. LeCun, who is also a professor at New York University, joined the company in 2013 to lead Meta's Fundamental AI Research (FAIR) lab and later took on the role of Chief
[2]
Meta's chief AI scientist Yann LeCun to leave Meta and start new AI research company
NEW YORK (AP) -- Artificial intelligence pioneer Yann LeCun said Wednesday he will be leaving his job as Meta's chief AI scientist at the end of the year. LeCun said he will be forming a startup company to pursue research on advanced forms of AI that can "understand the physical world, have
[3]
Meta chief AI scientist Yann LeCun is leaving to create his own startup
Yann LeCun, chief AI scientist at Meta, speaks at the Viva Tech conference in Paris, June 13, 2023. Yann LeCun, known as one of the godfathers of modern artificial intelligence and one of the first AI visionaries to join the company then known as Facebook, is leaving Meta. LuCun said in a
[4]
AI godfather Yann LeCun to leave Meta and start own firm
Just a couple of weeks ago, one of the "godfathers" of artificial intelligence was in St James's Palace being handed an award from King Charles for his work in artificial intelligence (AI). Professor Yann LeCun was being honoured along with six other recipients for his contributions to the field,
[5]
Yann LeCun Leaves Meta to Create 'Independent Entity'
A Meta spokesperson confirmed to Bloomberg Wednesday that AI legend Yann LeCun is exiting Zuckland and striking out on his own. According to a Memo from LeCun himself that Bloomberg claims to have read, LeCun's new endeavor is meant to “bring about the next big revolution in AI: systems that
[6]
French 'AI godfather' Yann LeCun leaving Meta to launch own start-up
LeCun has previously said he does not agree that LLMs, which Meta is investing billions into, are the future of intelligence. The French 'godfather of AI', Yann LeCun, announced he is leaving Meta to start his own machine learning company to "bring the next revolution of AI". LeCun said he will
[7]
Meta's chief AI scientist exits company to begin working on new AI startup - SiliconANGLE
Meta's chief AI scientist exits company to begin working on new AI startup After 12 years at Meta Platforms Inc. the artificial intelligence visionary Yann LeCun is out the door and about to embark on a mission to be part of what he calls the next big revolution in AI. Known as one of the
[8]
Yann LeCun Confirms Leaving Meta to Launch Advanced Machine Intelligence | AIM
Meta's chief AI scientist, Yann LeCun, has announced that he will leave the company at the end of the year to start a new venture focused on Advanced Machine Intelligence (AMI), a research program he has been developing over the past several years. "In planning to leave Meta after 12 years, I am
[9]
Meta's chief AI scientist Yann LeCun to leave Meta and start new AI research company
NEW YORK (AP) -- Artificial intelligence pioneer Yann LeCun said Wednesday he will be leaving his job as Meta's chief AI scientist at the end of the year. LeCun said he will be forming a startup company to pursue research on advanced forms of AI that can "understand the physical world, have
[10]
Meta's chief AI scientist Yann LeCun to leave Meta and start new AI research company
NEW YORK -- Artificial intelligence pioneer Yann LeCun said Wednesday he will be leaving his job as Meta's chief AI scientist at the end of the year. LeCun said he will be forming a startup company to pursue research on advanced forms of AI that can "understand the physical world, have persistent
[11]
Yann LeCun to Leave Meta, Launch AI Startup Focused on Advanced Machine Intelligence
(Reuters) -Yann LeCun, one of the founding figures of modern artificial intelligence and a pivotal force at Meta Platforms, said on Wednesday he plans to leave the company at the end of the year to launch a new AI startup. LeCun has been a key part of Meta's artificial intelligence ambitions for
[12]
Meta's chief AI scientist Yann LeCun exits to start new AI research company - The Economic Times
LeCun said in a social media post that Meta will partner with the new startup and that some of the research will overlwith Meta's commercial interests and some of it will not.Artificial intelligence pioneer Yann LeCun said Wednesday he will be leaving his job as Meta's chief AI scientist at the end
[13]
Meta's Chief AI Scientist Yann LeCun to Leave Meta and Start New AI Research Company
NEW YORK (AP) -- Artificial intelligence pioneer Yann LeCun said Wednesday he will be leaving his job as Meta's chief AI scientist at the end of the year. LeCun said he will be forming a startup company to pursue research on advanced forms of AI that can "understand the physical world, have
[14]
Meta's chief AI scientist Yann LeCun announces departure to start his own firm (META:NASDAQ)
Meta's (META) chief AI scientist and the founding director of the FAIR lab, Yann LeCun, is leaving the company at the end of 2025, according to an official memo posted on his LinkedIn account late on Wednesday. LeCun, who has been LeCun's exit signals a shift away from longer-term, fundamental AI
[15]
Yann LeCun Resigns from Meta to Start Next-Gen Humanoid AI Venture
Yann LeCun to Stay Partnered with Meta While Launching Startup Focused on Advanced Human-Like AI Yann LeCun, Meta's Chief AI Scientist, has officially resigned after 12 years at the company. He shared the news in a long Facebook post, saying he plans to start a new . His new startup will focus on
[16]
Yann LeCun to Leave Meta Platforms as Chief AI Scientist at the End of the Year 2025
Meta Platforms announced that Yann LeCun, Vice President & Chief AI Scientist, one of the founding figures of modern artificial intelligence and a pivotal force at the company opens new tab and he plans to leave the company at the end of the year 2025 to launch a new AI startup. LeCun has been a
[17]
Yann LeCun to leave Meta, launch AI startup focused on Advanced Machine Intelligence
(Reuters) -Yann LeCun, one of the founding figures of modern artificial intelligence and a pivotal force at Meta Platforms, said on Wednesday he plans to leave the company at the end of the year to launch a new AI startup. LeCun has been a key part of Meta's artificial intelligence ambitions for
[18]
Yann LeCun leaving Meta: AI expert's next project is extremely ambitious
Yann LeCun plans bold AI venture aiming beyond today's large language models When one of the most influential minds in artificial intelligence steps away from a tech giant, the move is never quiet. Yann LeCun, Meta's Chief AI Scientist and one of the three "godfathers of deep learning," is
[19]
Meta's chief AI scientist quits after 12 years, here's why
His startup will focus on creating AI systems that can truly understand the physical world. Meta is yet again facing a major leadership shakeup, with chief AI scientist Yann LeCun stepping down after nearly 12 years with the company. LeCun announced his exit through a series of posts on Threads,
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Yann LeCun, one of the 'godfathers of AI' and Meta's Chief AI Scientist, is departing the company to create a startup focused on Advanced Machine Intelligence (AMI) and world models. His exit follows internal tensions over AI direction and resource allocation at Meta.
The Departure of an AI Pioneer
Yann LeCun, one of the most influential figures in artificial intelligence and Meta's Chief AI Scientist for over a decade, announced his departure from the company to launch an independent AI research startup
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. The 65-year-old researcher, widely regarded as one of the "godfathers of AI" alongside Geoffrey Hinton and Yoshua Bengio, will remain at Meta until the end of 2024 before transitioning to his new venture2
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Source: Digit
LeCun's announcement comes just weeks after receiving recognition from King Charles for his contributions to artificial intelligence, highlighting his continued prominence in the field
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. His departure marks the end of a significant era at Meta, where he founded and led the Fundamental AI Research (FAIR) laboratory since joining the company in 2013.Vision for Advanced Machine Intelligence
The new startup will focus on what LeCun calls Advanced Machine Intelligence (AMI), representing his vision for the next generation of AI systems. "The goal of the startup is to bring about the next big revolution in AI: systems that understand the physical world, have persistent memory, can reason, and can plan complex action sequences," LeCun wrote in his announcement
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Source: Market Screener
This approach diverges significantly from the current industry focus on large language models (LLMs). LeCun has been openly critical of the prevailing wisdom that scaling LLMs will lead to human-level AI, stating during a podcast appearance that "we are not going to get to human-level AI by just scaling LLMs"
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. His research centers on "world models" - AI systems trained on visual data from the physical world rather than text, designed to understand cause and effect in real-world interactions5
.Internal Tensions at Meta
LeCun's departure occurs amid significant upheaval within Meta's AI division. The company has undergone dramatic restructuring following lukewarm reception of its Llama 4 model, prompting CEO Mark Zuckerberg to invest heavily in new AI talent
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. This included a $14.5 billion investment in Scale AI to recruit 28-year-old CEO Alexandr Wang as Meta's new Chief AI Officer, and hiring ChatGPT co-creator Shengjia Zhao as Chief AI Scientist of the newly formed Meta Superintelligence Labs3
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Source: BBC
Reports suggest LeCun faced challenges securing resources for his projects as Meta shifted focus toward competing directly with OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic
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. The company also cut "several hundred" jobs from its Superintelligence group, including positions within FAIR, further indicating the organizational changes affecting LeCun's work1
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Partnership and Future Collaboration
Despite his departure, LeCun's new startup will maintain a partnership with Meta, though specific details remain undisclosed
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. LeCun emphasized that while some research applications will overlap with Meta's commercial interests, many will not, making an independent entity the optimal approach to "maximize broad impact"3
.This arrangement reflects broader trends in AI industry partnerships, where tech giants maintain strategic relationships with key researchers and startups. LeCun will continue his professorial role at New York University, where he has taught since 2003, allowing him to maintain academic connections while pursuing commercial applications of his research
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