Meta's AI Ambitions Face Setback as 'Behemoth' Model Launch Delayed

Meta Platforms Stock Dips On AI Rollout Delay - Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META)

Meta Platforms Inc META shares fell 2.2% to $645.07 on Thursday afternoon following a Wall Street Journal report that revealed delays in the company's release of its next-generation AI model, codenamed Behemoth. The model, once expected as early as April, has now been pushed to fall or later, according to people familiar with the matter, the Wall Street Journal said. What To Know: Engineers have reportedly struggled to achieve meaningful improvements over previous versions, leading to internal debate over whether Behemoth is ready for public release. Although Meta has promoted Behemoth as surpassing OpenAI and Alphabet (Google) models in some benchmarks, training difficulties have stunted progress, the Wall Street Journal noted. Read Also: Wall Street Wavers As UNH Tumbles, Foot Locker Soars: What's Driving Markets Thursday? The delay comes amid mounting pressure on Meta's AI ambitions, which are backed by a projected $72 billion in capital expenditures this year. Internal frustrations have surfaced, with some executives blaming the Llama 4 team for the setbacks and considering management changes, the Wall Street Journal noted. The Wall Street Journal said Meta on Thursday declined to comment on the timeline or internal issues. The delays echo broader industry slowdowns, with companies such as OpenAI and Anthropic also facing lags in rolling out advanced models. Read Also: Plug Power Stock Hits A New 52-Week Low: What's Going On? How To Buy META Stock Besides going to a brokerage platform to purchase a share -- or fractional share -- of stock, you can also gain access to shares either by buying an exchange traded fund (ETF) that holds the stock itself, or by allocating yourself to a strategy in your 401(k) that would seek to acquire shares in a mutual fund or other instrument. For example, Meta Platforms is in the Communication Services sector. An ETF will likely hold shares in many liquid and large companies that help track that sector, allowing an investor to gain exposure to the trends within that segment. According to data from Benzinga Pro, META has a 52-week high of $740.89 and a 52-week low of $442.65. Photo: Courtesy of Meta Platforms METAMeta Platforms Inc$642.79-2.51%Stock Score Locked: Want to See it? Benzinga Rankings give you vital metrics on any stock - anytime. Reveal Full ScoreEdge RankingsMomentum88.49Growth76.06Quality82.31Value31.20Price TrendShortMediumLongOverviewMarket News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs

Meta Shares Slip After AI Model Delay And Mid-Trial Antitrust Tensions: What's Going On? - Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META)

Meta Platforms Inc. META shares are trading lower Friday following a Wall Street Journal report that the company is delaying the release of its next-generation AI model, known internally as Behemoth. What To Know: Originally expected as early as April, the rollout is now postponed to fall or later, reflecting technical challenges and internal disagreement about the model's readiness. According to the report, engineers have struggled to make meaningful progress over previous models. Although Meta had previously claimed Behemoth could outperform offerings from OpenAI and Alphabet, internal training issues have slowed development. Frustration inside the company has grown, with management reportedly considering leadership changes on the AI team responsible for Llama 4. The delay raises questions about Meta's broader AI strategy, especially as the company plans as much as $72 billion in capital expenditures this year, much of it directed toward AI development and infrastructure. While Meta declined to comment on the timeline or reported internal conflicts, the setback puts pressure on its ability to meet expectations in a highly competitive AI landscape. Separately, Meta is also in the middle of a federal antitrust trial. The company has asked a judge to dismiss the Federal Trade Commission's case, which accuses Meta of maintaining a monopoly by acquiring Instagram and WhatsApp. Meta argued that the FTC has not proven those acquisitions harmed competition or prevented the growth of rival platforms. The outcome of the trial could have long-term implications for the company's business strategy and regulatory risk. The combination of AI delays and continued legal scrutiny weighed on Meta's stock, which traded lower despite broader strength in the tech sector. Investors are watching closely for updates on both the product roadmap and the court case as Meta navigates mounting pressure on multiple fronts. META Price Action: Meta shares were down 0.67% at $639.57 at the time of writing, according to Benzinga pro. Read Next: Stocks Fight For Fifth Day Of Gains, Dollar Rebounds As Inflation Fears Go Haywire: What's Driving Markets Friday? Image Via Shutterstock. METAMeta Platforms Inc$639.39-0.70%Stock Score Locked: Want to See it? Benzinga Rankings give you vital metrics on any stock - anytime. Reveal Full ScoreEdge RankingsMomentum87.54Growth76.01Quality82.34Value34.84Price TrendShortMediumLongOverviewMarket News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs

Why Meta Platforms Stock Slumped on Discouraging AI Speculation Friday | The Motley Fool

Meta Platforms (META -0.59%) might operate some of the most durably popular social media sites in the world, but this didn't translate into love for the stock on Friday. On news that a potentially hot product rollout will be delayed, investors traded out of Meta to leave its shares with a 0.6% price loss on the day. Meanwhile, the S&P 500 index closed higher by roughly the same percentage. Towards the end of Thursday's trading session, The Wall Street Journal reported that Meta is delaying the launch of its flagship artificial intelligence (AI) model. Citing unnamed "people familiar with the matter," the financial newspaper reported that company engineers are struggling to improve the functionalities of the model, code-named "Behemoth." The article stated that Behemoth was originally to be introduced in April, in time for Meta's first-ever specialized AI conference for developers. The company pushed the launch to June; now the plan is to introduce it in the fall -- or even later. Meta clearly has vast ambitions for AI, which is understandable given how the technology might enhance a great many aspects of social media. Company founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg has waxed enthusiastic numerous times about this potential to the point where he speculated that users could eventually make AI friends and avail themselves of AI therapists. Meta has not yet officially commented on the Journal report. I'm no longer a Meta investor, but if I were, I doubt I'd be very concerned about this apparent development. Especially with a powerful technology, it's more important to get it right than to rush an introduction, and it's not as if AI is make-or-break for the company -- it continues to do gangbusters business with its unbeatable social media portfolio as is.

Meta Shares Fall After Reported Delay in Rollout of AI Model

Meta shares fell after The Wall Street Journal reported the company would delay the launch of its new artificial-intelligence model. The stock dropped to as low as $635.58, or 3.6% below the previous close, after the report before paring the loss to $644.33 in late Thursday trading. Shares are still up about 10% this year. Meta's planned large-language model was originally set to be released in April, but was pushed to June. Now, the rollout has been delayed to fall or later, the Journal said, citing people familiar with the matter. The slower rollout is sparking internal concerns about how much the technology company is spending on AI initiatives. Meta plans to spend up to $72 billion in capital expenditures this year, much of which is slated for AI projects. Write to Katherine Hamilton at [email protected]