‘Basic restructuring’, says Meta as it pauses hiring for Zuckerberg’s AI Superteam

Meta Platforms has put a pause on hiring within its artificial intelligence division after an extensive recruitment drive that brought in more than 50 researchers and engineers, according to a report by Wall Street Journal.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the freeze, which began last week, is part of a broader reorganisation of Meta’s AI efforts. Current employees have also been restricted from transferring between teams within the division. The company has not specified how long the freeze will last.

In a statement to WSJ, a Meta spokesperson downplayed the move, describing it as “basic organisational planning: creating a solid structure for our new superintelligence efforts after bringing people on board and undertaking yearly budgeting and planning exercises.”

The restructuring, which marks the fourth shakeup in six months, will divide the division into four units: one focused on superintelligence (called TBD Lab), one developing consumer-facing AI products, one dedicated to AI infrastructure, and another leading longer-term research projects under Fundamental AI Research.

The reorganisation underscores Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg’s ambition to build systems that could eventually surpass human-level intelligence. To bolster this vision, Meta has brought in key figures including Scale AI co-founder Alexandr Wang, former GitHub CEO Nat Friedman, and Daniel Gross, co-founder of Safe Superintelligence. Meta has also considered investing in their ventures as part of its broader strategy.

By mid-August, Meta had recruited extensively from rivals, hiring more than 20 researchers and engineers from OpenAI, at least 13 from Google, three from Apple, three from Elon Musk’s xAI, and two from Anthropic. Reports have suggested that Meta has offered highly lucrative compensation packages, with some claims of deals worth up to $300 million, although the company has denied those figures.

Meta’s aggressive push into AI comes alongside surging spending. The company added $17 billion in capital expenditures during the second quarter alone and has raised its full-year capex forecast to as much as $72 billion. While Meta’s quarterly results last month beat Wall Street expectations and sent its stock to record highs, analysts and investors have raised concerns about the long-term costs of such investments.

Industry figures have also weighed in on the risks. OpenAI Chief Executive Sam Altman recently acknowledged that there may be an AI bubble, noting that investors are becoming “overexcited” about the technology.