Meta Appoints ChatGPT Co-Creator Shengjia Zhao as Superintelligence Lab Chief Scientist

Meta has appointed Shengjia Zhao, a co-creator of OpenAI’s ChatGPT, as chief scientist for its newly established Superintelligence Labs (MSL). CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the appointment via Threads on July 19, 2025, emphasizing Zhao’s role in co-founding the lab and his leadership in advancing Meta’s AI research. Zhao, who joined Meta from OpenAI in June, will report to Alexandr Wang, former CEO of Scale AI and Meta’s current Chief AI Officer, as part of a broader strategy to accelerate development of advanced AI models [1].

Zhao, a co-author of the original ChatGPT research paper, was also pivotal in OpenAI’s first reasoning model, o1, which influenced subsequent “chain-of-thought” systems across the industry. His expertise aligns with Meta’s goal of building AI capable of performing tasks as effectively as or better than humans. The appointment follows a two-month recruitment drive that attracted over a dozen former OpenAI employees to Meta’s AI unit, reflecting the company’s aggressive effort to compete with OpenAI and Google for AI dominance [2].

Zuckerberg noted in his post that Zhao’s leadership role was formalized after months of assembling a core team, stating, “Our recruiting is going well and our team is coming together.” Zhao will lead MSL, a high-profile initiative focused on next-generation AI research, while Yann LeCun, Meta’s long-time chief scientist, will continue leading the internal research group FAIR but now report to Wang [3]. This restructuring aims to streamline strategic priorities and consolidate leadership under Wang, who joined Meta in June.

Meta’s recruitment of Zhao and other OpenAI veterans underscores the company’s commitment to maintaining a competitive edge in AI. The move highlights the intense global competition for top AI talent, with Meta investing heavily to bridge theoretical research and practical applications. Analysts have observed that such hiring sprees are part of a broader industry trend to secure market leadership in AI development [4].

The announcement has been widely covered, with outlets emphasizing Zhao’s influence on OpenAI’s early breakthroughs and his potential to drive Meta’s AI initiatives forward. Zuckerberg’s direct communication via Threads reflects a strategic shift toward transparently showcasing progress in AI development, a move likely intended to bolster stakeholder confidence and public engagement [5].

Sources: [1] [Fortune] (https://fortune.com/2025/07/26/meta-openai-hire-shengjia-zhao-superintelligence-group-chief-scientist/) [2] [CNBC] (https://www.cnbc.com/2025/07/25/zuckerberg-shengjia-zhao-meta-ai-lab-chief-scientist-openai.html) [3] [Reuters] (https://www.reuters.com/business/meta-names-chatgpt-co-creator-chief-scientist-superintelligence-lab-2025-07-25/) [4] [CNN] (https://www.cnn.com/2025/07/25/tech/meta-ai-superintelligence-team-who-its-hiring) [5] [Yahoo] (https://finance.yahoo.com/news/meta-names-shengjia-zhao-chief-205837135.html).