Meta has frozen hiring in its AI organization after restructuring the unit earlier this week, reports The Wall Street Journal. The hiring freeze follows weeks of poaching more than 50 AI researchers and engineers from competitors.
The freeze went into effect last week, and it’s not clear how long it will last. Meta is still likely working through its reorg, which split its AI unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs, into four new groups: TBD Labs, run by former Scale AI founder Alexandr Wang, and three groups focused on research, product integration, and infrastructure, respectively.
Meta confirmed the hiring freeze with The Journal, saying it was “basic organizational planning…after bringing people on board and undertaking yearly budgeting and planning exercises.”
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s push to get ahead in the AI race has sparked serious talent wars. He’s personally called top researchers and engineers to offer them pay packages worth nine figures, and acquired either other startups or their leadership. Analysts have warned that the rise of stock-based compensation costs could threaten shareholder returns.
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