This company's future is a bit uncertain... Apple's AI chief moves to Meta - Maeil Business Newspaper
Key Points
- 1Lu Ming Fang, who led Apple's foundational AI model development team, has departed Apple to join Meta's "Superintelligence" group, attracted by a multi-million dollar offer.
- 2This high-profile defection highlights concerns over Apple's internal AI strategy, which is reportedly considering integrating external models like OpenAI or Anthropic for Siri and has experienced other key personnel exits.
- 3While Meta aggressively invests in and bolsters its AI capabilities by acquiring top talent, Apple faces increased uncertainty and potential weakening of its in-house large language model development efforts.
Lu Ming Fang, the former head of Apple's Foundation Models (AFM) team, which spearheaded the development of Apple's large language models (LLMs) for "Apple Intelligence" features and future Siri improvements, has departed Apple to join Meta's AI "Superintelligence" group. Fang, who joined Apple from Google in 2021 and led a team of approximately 100 individuals responsible for Apple's core AI strategy, made the move following Meta's offer of tens of millions of dollars in salary. His departure, reported by Bloomberg on July 7th, local time, signals potential instability in Apple's internal AI development capabilities.
Apple's core methodology for AI, specifically for its foundational LLMs powering Siri and Apple Intelligence, revolved around the AFM team's in-house development. This team was responsible for creating the proprietary LLMs that would integrate deeply into Apple's ecosystem. However, Fang's move is seen as reflective of a broader shift and uncertainty within Apple's AI strategy. The company is reportedly considering integrating external AI models, such as those from OpenAI or Anthropic, into Siri, a move that could undermine the morale of its internal development teams. Indeed, other key personnel from the AFM team, including Tom Gunter, have also recently left Apple, with further departures anticipated. Internally, Apple's AI leadership structure has been reformed into a decentralized model with multiple managers reporting, which some worry could further weaken its LLM development capacity.
In contrast, Meta has significantly ramped up its AI investments, injecting billions of dollars into supercomputing infrastructure, data centers, and semiconductor acquisition. Meta's strategic methodology for AI has been consolidated and reorganized under its 'Superintelligence' group as of late June, aiming to aggressively advance its AI capabilities. Lu Ming Fang is expected to play a pivotal role in strengthening Meta's AI technology, positioning him as a key asset in Meta's ambitious AI agenda while highlighting the growing uncertainty surrounding Apple's future AI direction.