The number of senior AI researchers seems to be leaving Apple. While the exact reason behind this mass shift remains unknown, it is suspected that there is a crisis of confidence with Apple. And what’s even more interesting is that the majority of these talents have joined Meta.
Multiple senior AI researchers have left Apple
All this started when Ruoming Pang, the leader of the AFM (Apple’s Foundation Model) team, left the company. He later joined the tech giant Meta, where he was offered a juicy compensation of $200 million.
Soon after his departure, one more member of the group, Bowen Zhang, left Apple. He was one of the most important senior AI researchers at Apple. Zhang was responsible for developing and testing the core technology that would run Apple’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) system. While he hasn’t confirmed his new joining, a source familiar with the matter claims that Zhang has also joined Meta’s superintelligence team.
Researchers are skeptical about their future
Zhang was one of the important pillars of the AFM team. He also had the responsibility to define the AI department’s roadmap and research direction. Now that he has left the company, other researchers in the group are skeptical about their future. Subsequently, Floris Weers, one of the group members of the AFM, also left the company very recently. He reportedly left the tech giant to join a start-up.
This is not where it ends. Tom Gunter and Mark Lee, two important members of the company, left recently and have joined Meta. This particular shift in the department must be concerning for Apple. Now, why are these researchers leaving the brand? Is it really because of the loss of confidence, or could it be that Meta is offering way better compensation and perks?
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