Meta Platforms (META) hires two former Apple researchers to bolster AI capabilities amid intense talent war.

Meta Platforms has hired two Apple AI researchers, Mark Lee and Tom Gunter, to strengthen its Superintelligence Labs team, amid an ongoing talent war. This follows the recruitment of Ruoming Pang, former head of Apple's LLMs team, who received a $200 million compensation package. Meta's hiring spree is weakening Apple's AI push, with Lee and Gunter previously working closely with Pang at Apple.

Title: Meta Platforms Bolsters AI Team with Apple Hires, Strengthening Superintelligence Labs

Meta Platforms (META.O) has recently expanded its AI capabilities by hiring two prominent researchers, Mark Lee and Tom Gunter, from Apple (AAPL.O). This move is part of Meta's ongoing talent acquisition strategy aimed at building a competitive edge in the AI sector. The hires follow Meta's recruitment of Ruoming Pang, the former head of Apple's Foundation Models team, who received a $200 million compensation package [3].

Mark Lee and Tom Gunter, who previously worked closely with Pang at Apple, will join Meta's Superintelligence Labs team. This team is led by Alexandr Wang, formerly of Scale AI, and aims to develop artificial general intelligence (AGI) and surpass human intelligence. The addition of Lee and Gunter underscores Meta's commitment to attracting top talent and consolidating its AI efforts under a unified strategy [1].

Meta's aggressive recruitment campaign is part of a broader strategy to build a "superintelligence" team focused on AI systems that can perform tasks as well as or better than humans. The company has been investing heavily in its AI infrastructure, planning to spend hundreds of billions of dollars to build multi-gigawatt data center clusters like Prometheus and Hyperion [2].

The hiring spree at Meta is not without its implications. Apple, which has seen its AI division weakened by these high-profile departures, is now facing increased competition in the AI sector. Apple reported Q1 2025 revenue of $95.4 billion, up 5% year-over-year, with services revenue reaching an all-time high of $26.6 billion, growing 12% compared to the prior year [4]. Despite Apple's strong performance in services, the loss of key AI talent to Meta could impact its future AI initiatives.

Meta's stock has already seen a 24% increase year-to-date, and the addition of Pang to Zuckerberg's "AI Avengers" may further boost investor confidence in the company's AI ambitions. The company's ongoing push into AI is already showing positive results, with user behavior across its key platforms demonstrating increased time spent and higher ad prices [3].

In summary, Meta's aggressive recruitment of top AI talent from Apple is a strategic move aimed at strengthening its AI capabilities and leading the next AI epoch. The company's investment in AI infrastructure and talent is expected to generate returns through various products, including the Meta AI assistant, ad tools, and AI-powered smart glasses.

References:
[1] https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/meta-hires-two-apple-ai-researchers-superintelligence-push-bloomberg-news-2025-07-18/
[2] https://www.ainvest.com/news/meta-platforms-recruits-apple-ai-researchers-ongoing-competition-tech-industry-2507/
[3] https://www.ainvest.com/news/meta-recruits-apple-ai-head-ruoming-pang-200m-boosting-stock-2507/
[4] https://thedesk.net/2025/07/netflix-q2-2025-earnings-report/