Meta has made a significant move in the AI race by appointing Shengjia Zhao, a former key researcher at OpenAI and co-creator of GPT-4, as the Chief Scientist of its newly formed Superintelligence Labs. This announcement, made on July 25, 2025, signals Meta's aggressive push to establish dominance in what it considers the next foundational technology platform.
Zhao, who joined Meta in June 2025, brings a wealth of experience from his time at OpenAI, where he played a pivotal role in developing advanced AI models. His expertise is expected to accelerate Meta's efforts to catch up with industry leaders like OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic, especially after the underwhelming performance of Meta's Llama 4 model.
Working directly under CEO Mark Zuckerberg and alongside Alexandr Wang, Meta's Chief AI Officer and former CEO of Scale AI, Zhao will lead research and development at Superintelligence Labs. This new unit is tasked with pushing the boundaries of artificial general intelligence (AGI), aiming to create AI systems that surpass human capabilities across various domains.
Meta's strategy involves substantial investment in talent acquisition, as evidenced by the recent hiring of multiple high-profile researchers from OpenAI. This talent grab underscores Meta's commitment to becoming a leader in the AI space, with Zhao's appointment being a cornerstone of this ambitious plan.
The tech community is abuzz with speculation about how Zhao's leadership will shape Meta's AI innovations. Industry analysts believe that his deep technical background and proven track record could help Meta overcome past setbacks and deliver cutting-edge solutions in the near future.
As Meta continues to build its AI superintelligence team, the company is positioning itself for a transformative role in the tech landscape. The coming months will be critical in determining whether Zhao and his team can deliver on the promise of groundbreaking advancements in AI technology.
Maria Lourdes
