Joel Pino, the head of artificial intelligence (AI) research at Facebook's parent company Meta Platforms, has announced his resignation, raising concerns about a leadership vacuum at Meta as the AI competition accelerates.
Pino noted on May 1 (local time) through social media that he plans to leave the company effective May 30. He joined Meta in 2017 and has worked there for eight years, leading Meta's core AI division, the Fundamental AI Research group (FAIR), since 2023. This organization has spearheaded the development of various AI technologies, including Meta's large language model 'LLaMA,' as well as voice translation and image recognition.
Meta has been pushing a strategy to quickly commercialize AI research results by relocating FAIR closer to its product department last year. However, with Pino's departure coinciding with the announcement of aggressive investments of up to $65 billion in AI, the potential for internal confusion within the organization has also been raised.
In an internal memo, Pino stated, "The eight years spent at Meta have been a lifetime of professional experience," adding, "Now, as the AI competition accelerates, I have determined that it is time to step back to allow other leaders to continue the challenges."
While the exact reasons for his resignation remain unclear, some analysts suggest that Pino may have felt discomfort regarding Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg's recent focus on strengthening ties with President Donald Trump. Being from Canada, Pino may have developed resentment towards Trump's comments and trade policies related to Canada.
Meta is currently seeking a successor for Pino, and it stated that his resignation would not affect its AI research plans. Bloomberg assessed that this resignation represents a "high-level departure at a critical moment for Meta as it seeks to enhance its competitiveness in the AI market," potentially affecting future strategies.