Apple's lead AI researcher for robotics heads to Meta as part of latest exits

"(Bloomberg/Mark Gurman) Apple Inc.'s lead artificial intelligence researcher for robotics has departed the company to join Meta Platforms Inc.'s competing effort, part of an exodus of AI talent from the iPhone maker. The employee, Jian Zhang, joined the Meta Robotics Studio, the social media company confirmed on Tuesday. Separately, three more AI researchers are leaving Apple's in-house large language models team, adding to upheaval in that group, according to people with knowledge of the matter."

"The latest string of departures all taking place over the last week includes John Peebles, Nan Du and Zhao Meng, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the moves haven't been announced. They were all part of an Apple Foundation Models team that has lost roughly 10 members, including its chief, in recent weeks. The group was central to the creation of the Apple Intelligence platform, launched last year as part of the company's bid to catch up in AI."

"Peebles and Du are heading to OpenAI, while Zhao is joining Anthropic PBC. Many of their colleagues previously defected to Meta, which has enticed workers with staggering pay increases. Ruoming Pang, who ran Apple's models team, left for a multiyear, $200 million package. It hasn't been entirely smooth sailing for Meta, though. Several of the recently hired AI researchers have already quit, according to Wired."

Jian Zhang, Apple’s lead AI robotics researcher, joined Meta’s Robotics Studio. Three more researchers — John Peebles, Nan Du and Zhao Meng — left Apple's in‑house large language models team over the past week. The Apple Foundation Models team has lost roughly ten members, including its chief. The group built the Apple Intelligence platform introduced last year. Apple is debating whether to rely more on external AI technology rather than solely homegrown models. Peebles and Du are heading to OpenAI; Zhao is joining Anthropic. Many colleagues previously moved to Meta, which offered large pay increases. Apple shares dipped after the departures were reported.

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