Meta's chief AI scientist Yann LeCun to leave Meta and start new AI company (apnews.com)

Yann LeCun, Meta's chief AI scientist and a renowned figure in AI research, announced he will leave Meta at the end of the year to establish a new AI research startup. His venture aims to explore advanced AI capabilities that can understand the physical world, possess persistent memory, reason, and plan complex actions. This decision comes amidst Meta's recent downsizing of its AI workforce, marking a shift in priorities as the company intensifies competition in the AI space against rivals like Google and OpenAI. LeCun's departure is particularly significant as it highlights a transition within Meta, focusing more on commercial interests under CEO Mark Zuckerberg's leadership. Despite his skepticism toward the capabilities of large language models, LeCun has been an advocate for open-source AI systems, suggesting a future where AI development is collaborative rather than purely profit-driven. His long-standing contributions to AI, including co-founding Meta’s AI research division and being awarded the Turing Award in 2019, underscore his influence on the field. With Meta poised to collaborate with LeCun's new company, the implications for advancing AI research while balancing commercial goals could redefine the landscape of artificial intelligence in the coming years.