Meta strengthens AI team: California giant hires top manager from Apple

Meta continues to strategically expand its artificial intelligence capabilities by luring key specialists away from competitors. The latest such transition includes the appointment of Ruoming Pang-the former head of AI development at Apple-to a senior position in the AI division under Mark Zuckerberg.

Pang spent several years leading an internal Apple team dedicated to creating and training basic artificial intelligence models. In the industry, it is considered one of the few technical leaders with a unique expertise in small — sized AI models-especially relevant for embedding in mobile devices and personal assistants.

For Meta, this transition opens up access to rare experience and knowledge needed to develop scalable but compact AI solutions. The company will not only have to compete with established market leaders, but also create an alternative to popular solutions from OpenAI, Anthropic and other developers.

Sources familiar with the situation note that Apple's internal AI development has not yet reached the level that allows it to effectively compete in the generative model market. Against the background of rapid growth in the quality of third-party solutions, the corporation even considered integrating external AI models into its products, including the Siri voice assistant.

Pang's transition fits into the overall strategy of Meta, which in recent months has been actively attracting specialists from leading research centers and technology companies. Previous high-profile transfers include employees from Google DeepMind, OpenAI, and Safe Superintelligence.

Meta's expansion into artificial intelligence is not just a pursuit of technological excellence. This is part of a long-term transformation of the company, which aims to create its own AI ecosystem that can compete on a global level.