AI Civil War Erupts Inside Meta as LeCun Battles Zuckerberg Over Future of Intelligence

Top minds at Meta are engaged in a simmering battle over the company's future in artificial intelligence. At stake is nothing less than how Meta will pursue superintelligence, with deep economic, social, and technological repercussions.

Inside the halls of Meta, CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Chief AI Scientist Yann LeCun are locked in a tense standoff over open-source principles versus the push for closed, proprietary superintelligence models. As Meta struggles to keep pace with AI competitors, their disagreement has become more intense.

What is fueling the high-stakes clash between LeCun and Zuckerberg?

Zuckerberg, undeterred by recent AI stumbles, has doubled down with a sweeping investment plan potentially reaching hundreds of billions of dollars. His vision: large-scale, closed AI systems that could leapfrog current technology and establish Meta as the field’s global leader.

In contrast, LeCun warns that true "superintelligence" remains a distant goal, defending open-source development as essential for diversity, scientific transparency, and global inclusion. He asserts that closing models could stifle broader progress, while others argue it’s critical for Meta to compete at the highest level.

Did you know?
Meta’s AI supercluster data centers, set to go online by 2026, are planned to occupy areas nearly equivalent to the size of Manhattan, signaling the unprecedented scale of this AI race.

Could Meta’s open-source AI legacy be coming to an end?

Meta was once celebrated for its open-source Llama models, which quickly became foundational tools for developers worldwide. But after a disappointing performance from the highly anticipated Behemoth model, pressure mounted for more radical change just as rivals like OpenAI delayed new releases and closed off their core technologies even further.

Now, with high-stakes recruitment and a multi-billion-dollar spending spree underway, Meta's leadership is contemplating a potential pivot away from open source. The stakes for the tech industry and for open innovation could not be higher.

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Superintelligence ambitions spark internal power struggle at Meta

To accelerate progress, Zuckerberg has reorganized Meta’s AI arms under the new Superintelligence Labs, led by Alexandr Wang, and launched a global search for elite talent. This aggressive approach has led to intense internal debate: Should Meta stick to a collaborative, open science ethos or embrace secrecy to fuel a moonshot leap toward human-level intelligence?

LeCun continues to represent scientific caution by advocating for gradual and transparent advancements. However, some insiders contend that without bold and decisive action, Meta's window for spearheading the next AI era is rapidly closing.

Recruitment arms race escalates as Meta chases AI dominance

The race for AI supremacy is heating up globally, with Meta’s lavish offers luring dozens of top researchers from rivals like OpenAI and Google. Some have been offered packages rumored to top $100 million, a direct response to Meta’s falling behind in critical benchmarks and losing staff after recent setbacks.

Zuckerberg is meanwhile staking Meta’s future on constructing massive “supercluster” data centers, with the first Prometheus slated to open in 2026. These facilities, described as rivaling the physical footprint of Manhattan, underline the sheer scale of Meta’s ambitions.

The coming months could decide whether Meta transforms into the gatekeeper of an AI future governed by proprietary superintelligence or if advocates like LeCun can sustain the company’s tradition of openness. With the stakes from sky-high investments to existential questions about technology’s role, the world is watching for Meta’s next move.