Meta is making a significant push into the realm of artificial superintelligence (ASI) with the creation of a new AI lab dedicated to developing AI systems that surpass human cognitive capabilities across all domains. This move underscores Meta's commitment to leading the AI race and potentially reshaping the future of technology. CEO Mark Zuckerberg is spearheading this ambitious initiative, assembling a specialized "superintelligence group" comprised of approximately 50 top AI researchers and engineers. This restructuring of Meta's AI efforts signals a shift from broader AI research to a more focused pursuit of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) and, ultimately, ASI.
The strategic importance of this new lab is further emphasized by Meta's reported investment of over $10 billion in Scale AI, a startup specializing in data labeling and model evaluation services. Alexandr Wang, the 28-year-old founder and CEO of Scale AI, is expected to join Meta to lead the new lab. This potential investment would mark Meta's largest external AI investment to date, highlighting the company's commitment to securing the necessary resources and expertise to achieve its superintelligence goals.
Meta's pursuit of ASI comes amid a rapidly evolving AI landscape, with intense competition from industry rivals like OpenAI, Google, and Apple. Meta's ambition is to outpace these tech giants in achieving AGI, with the ultimate goal of integrating advanced AI capabilities into its wide range of products, including social media platforms, communication tools, chatbots, and AI-powered devices like Ray-Ban smart glasses. Meta has already made strides in incorporating AI into its existing products, with its AI assistant reportedly boasting one billion monthly active users across its product line. The company also plans to introduce a stand-alone Meta AI app and is testing a paid subscription service to compete with OpenAI's ChatGPT. By leveraging its robust advertising business, Meta aims to self-fund its AI development, potentially providing greater autonomy in pursuing long-term AGI research.
The creation of a superintelligence lab raises questions about its integration with Meta's existing AI teams, particularly regarding the role of Yann LeCun, Meta's Chief AI Scientist, who has expressed skepticism about some current AI approaches. Meta has been working on incorporating AI across its products including in its smart glasses and a recently released app, Meta AI. In May 2025, Zuckerberg stated that more than 1 billion people use Meta AI every month. This is amid reports that Meta is planning to automate ad creation and targeting using GenAI by the end of 2026.
While the pursuit of ASI holds immense potential, it also raises significant ethical and societal considerations. These include ensuring the safety and alignment of superintelligent systems with human values, addressing potential job displacement, and navigating the profound implications for society as a whole. While Meta's Chief AI Scientist Yann LeCun believes that humans will maintain control over superintelligent AI, envisioning a “boss-staff relationship” where AI serves human-given tasks, the broader AI community continues to debate the timelines and control mechanisms for such advanced AI.
