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Apple's lead AI researcher for robotics joins Meta in latest exit
Jian Zhang previously led a small group of academics working on automation techniques within Apple's AI and machine learning division.
The departures underscore mounting upheaval within Apple’s AI group, which has already lost around 10 members.
Apple is grappling with a wave of high-profile departures from its artificial intelligence division, with several top researchers defecting to rivals like Meta, OpenAI, and Anthropic.
According to a Bloomberg report, Jian Zhang, Apple's lead AI researcher for robotics, has joined Meta's Robotics Studio, the social media giant confirmed on Tuesday.
Zhang previously led a small group of academics working on automation techniques within Apple's AI and machine learning division.
The exits don't stop there. Three members of Apple's Foundation Models team - John Peebles, Nan Du, and Zhao Meng - have also quit in recent days.
According to people familiar with the matter, Peebles and Du are headed to OpenAI, while Zhao is joining Anthropic PBC, the report added.
The departures underscore mounting upheaval within Apple's AI group, which has already lost around 10 members, including its former chief Ruoming Pang, who left for Meta on a package reportedly worth $200 million. Many of Apple's AI specialists have been lured by rivals with hefty compensation offers.
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The Foundation Models team was instrumental in building Apple Intelligence, the company's much-touted AI platform launched last year as part of efforts to catch up with competitors.
But with morale slipping and more staff actively seeking opportunities elsewhere, Apple is reportedly reconsidering its reliance on in-house models, exploring partnerships with third-party providers.
Meanwhile, Meta continues to double down on robotics, integrating Zhang into its Reality Labs division, which is developing humanoid robots, smart glasses, and AI-powered hardware. Apple, for its part, has robotics ambitions of its own, including a tabletop device with a moving screen and robotic arms for retail and manufacturing.
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