Meta freezes AI hiring, restructures Superintelligence Labs, and intensifies the talent war with Apple over top-tier AI engineers.
Meta has formally paused broad AI hiring at its Superintelligence Labs while continuing to welcome top talent away from competitors such as Apple. The pause, labeled internally as a matter of “organizational planning,” follows a series of high-profile poaches, including Frank Chu, who managed AI infrastructure at Apple, and Ruoming Pang, ex-foundation models head. Despite the hiring freeze, Meta is not ceasing exceptions for what it refers to as “business-critical roles,” raising speculation that the freeze is more strategic than limiting.
Superintelligence Labs Restructures While Poaching Continues
The freeze coincides with a major internal reshuffle at Meta’s Superintelligence Labs, which is now split into four units: TBD Labs, infrastructure, product, and long-term research. This restructuring aims to streamline operations and focus on scalable AI development. Yet, the company’s continued recruitment of top-tier engineers, especially from Apple, suggests that Meta’s ambitions for building an “AI Superteam” remain firmly intact. The contradiction between freezing hiring and aggressively poaching talent has raised eyebrows across the tech industry.
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Apple Struggling to Keep AI Talent as Meta Cranks up the Competition
Apple, however, is struggling with an increasing talent exodus. CEO Tim Cook has apparently convened an internal session to discuss the losses and reiterate Apple’s commitment to AI innovation. But Meta’s fat checks—some of which have been rumored to be over $200 million—are proving hard to beat.
With six Apple AI researchers making the jump to Meta within seven weeks, the Cupertino giant is coming under increasing pressure to rework its retention plan and fast-track its AI agenda.
The Bigger Picture: AI Recruiting as Strategic Warfare
Meta’s freeze is not a retreat—it’s a recalibration. By making selective hires and reorganizing its AI units, the company is sending a message of a shift from volume to precision. In the current tech era, AI recruitment is not merely about filling positions—it’s about acquiring influence, acumen, and sustained dominance. As the war for AI mastery continues to escalate, anticipate more strategic freezes, surprise poaches, and billion-dollar deals that redefine talent movement in Silicon Valley. Want this adapted for social media, SEO meta, or a newsletter blurb? I can spin it in seconds.
