Meta's Chief AI Scientist Yann LeCun to Leave for Startup

Published 7 hours ago·Updated 3 hours ago

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Above: Yann LeCun during the AI Action Summit in Paris, France, on Feb. 11, 2025. Image copyright: Nathan Laine/Bloomberg/Getty Images

The Spin

Establishment-critical narrative

This move comes as no surprise, given the recent organizational turmoil at Meta. Meta's talent exodus reveals a company in chaos with lackluster AI capabilities and a toxic culture. Top researchers fled to start major AI companies, while rivals dismissed the remaining Meta talent as subpar. Despite billion-dollar hiring sprees, the brain drain continues amid chaotic management, constant staff turnover and wavering vision.

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Pro-establishment narrative

No one can point to anything Yann LeCun did to boost Meta's revenue, so why care that he's gone? His research-first mindset kept Meta lagging behind competitors who built real, scalable AI products. While others delivered, Meta debated theory and lost ground. LeCun's exit feels overdue — he's a legend, but the company needs results. Now Meta can shift from academic ideals to practical innovation and execution.

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