In a significant development that underscores the fierce competition for artificial intelligence talent, Meta Platforms has successfully lured away Apple's top AI executive, Ruoming Pang, with a compensation package reportedly worth tens of millions of dollars annually.
Pang, who previously managed Apple's foundation models team of approximately 100 employees, was responsible for developing the AI models that power Apple Intelligence features such as email summaries, Priority Notifications, and Genmoji. His departure represents another setback for Apple's AI efforts, which have been criticized for lagging behind competitors.
This high-profile recruitment is part of Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg's aggressive strategy to build the company's new 'Superintelligence' AI division. Meta has been systematically poaching top talent from various AI organizations, including OpenAI, Anthropic, and Scale AI, as Zuckerberg reportedly grew frustrated with Meta's progress in AI technology.
The timing is particularly notable as it follows Apple's June announcement of an expanded partnership with OpenAI at its 2025 Worldwide Developers Conference. While Apple had previously held discussions with Meta about potentially integrating Meta's generative AI model into Apple Intelligence, those talks apparently didn't advance beyond preliminary stages. Bloomberg reported that Apple rejected the idea of deeper integration with Meta back in March.
Apple's AI strategy has increasingly relied on partnerships, including its primary collaboration with OpenAI's ChatGPT. The company has also reportedly discussed potential integrations with Google's Gemini, Anthropic, and Perplexity. This approach contrasts with Apple's traditional preference for developing technology in-house and maintaining a highly controlled ecosystem.
Industry analysts suggest Pang's departure might trigger further exits from Apple's AI team, as morale has reportedly been affected by discussions about relying on third-party AI models rather than the company's internal development efforts. As the AI arms race intensifies, the movement of key talent between tech giants will likely continue to shape the competitive landscape.