Meta is reportedly planning to eliminate approximately 600 positions within its Fundamental AI Research unit, commonly referred to as FAIR. This decision comes as the company shifts its focus to its newly established superintelligence team, known as TBD Lab. Despite the layoffs in the legacy research division, Meta is continuing to hire for this new team.
The leadership of Meta’s AI research team has seen changes, notably with the departure of FAIR leader Joelle Pineau earlier this year. In a memo earlier in August, the head of Meta AI indicated that the company intends to integrate and expand many projects and research ideas from FAIR into the operations of TBD Lab.
The memo also suggests that reducing the team’s size could lead to faster decision-making processes, as fewer discussions would be necessary. Each remaining team member is expected to have a larger role and greater responsibilities. The layoffs will also extend to roles within AI product and infrastructure teams. However, affected employees will have the opportunity to apply for other positions within the organization.
Axios reached out for comment from Meta but has not received a response at this time. This restructuring reflects broader trends in the industry regarding AI research and development.
Source: https://www.theverge.com/news/804253/meta-ai-research-layoffs-fair-superintelligence