Meta Platforms has appointed Shengjia Zhao, co-creator of ChatGPT, as the chief scientist of its Superintelligence Lab. Zhao will set the research agenda and scientific direction for the lab, working directly with CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Chief AI Officer Alexandr Wang. This appointment is part of Meta's broader strategy to enhance its artificial intelligence capabilities and compete with other tech giants in the AI sector.
Prior to joining Meta, Zhao was a research scientist at OpenAI, where he contributed to the development of ChatGPT, GPT-4, and several of OpenAI's mini models, including 4.1 and o3. His expertise is expected to play a pivotal role in advancing Meta's AI research initiatives.
The Superintelligence Lab, co-founded by Zhao, aims to centralize Meta's advanced AI research efforts, focusing on the development of artificial general intelligence (AGI). The lab operates separately from Meta's existing AI research division, FAIR, which is led by Yann LeCun. Meta's commitment to AGI includes plans to release its work as open source, reflecting a strategic emphasis on open-source AI to democratize access to advanced technologies.
This move follows Meta's recent efforts to bolster its AI talent pool, including the recruitment of top researchers from various organizations. The company has also announced significant investments in AI infrastructure, including the construction of massive AI data centers, to support the development of superintelligent systems.
Meta's focus on AGI and open-source AI aligns with a broader trend of collaboration and knowledge-sharing within the AI community, aiming to unlock new dimensions in AI and drive forward the company's ambitions in general AI.