[Meta Platforms](https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/META/) has paused hiring for its new artificial intelligence division, the company confirmed Thursday, ending a spending spree that saw it acquire a wave of costly AI researchers and engineers.
The pause was first [reported](https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/meta-ai-hiring-freeze-fda6b3c4) by the Wall Street Journal, which said it went into effect last week amid a broader restructuring of the group, citing people familiar with the matter.
In a statement shared with CNBC, a Meta spokesperson said that the pause was simply “some basic organizational planning: creating a solid structure for our new superintelligence efforts after bringing people on board and undertaking yearly budgeting and planning exercises.”
According to the WSJ report, a recent restructuring inside Meta has divided its AI efforts into four teams. That includes a team focused on building machine superintelligence, dubbed the “TBD lab,” or “To Be Determined,” an AI products division, an infrastructure division, and a division that focuses on longer-term projects and exploration.
It added that all four groups belong to “Meta Superintelligence Labs,” a name that reflects Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg’s desire to build AI that surpasses human intelligence.
In one of its most aggressive moves, Meta acquired Alexandr Wang, founder of Scale AI, as part of a deal that saw the Facebook parent dish out $14.3 billion for a 49% stake in the AI startup.
I have to be honest, I find it hard to take Meta and Mark Zuckerberg serious. Really get the feeling that they are trying to hard. I can only imagine the amount of money they spend to keep Yan Le Cun happy.
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[Meta Platforms](https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/META/) has paused hiring for its new artificial intelligence division, the company confirmed Thursday, ending a spending spree that saw it acquire a wave of costly AI researchers and engineers.
The pause was first [reported](https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/meta-ai-hiring-freeze-fda6b3c4) by the Wall Street Journal, which said it went into effect last week amid a broader restructuring of the group, citing people familiar with the matter.
In a statement shared with CNBC, a Meta spokesperson said that the pause was simply “some basic organizational planning: creating a solid structure for our new superintelligence efforts after bringing people on board and undertaking yearly budgeting and planning exercises.”
According to the WSJ report, a recent restructuring inside Meta has divided its AI efforts into four teams. That includes a team focused on building machine superintelligence, dubbed the “TBD lab,” or “To Be Determined,” an AI products division, an infrastructure division, and a division that focuses on longer-term projects and exploration.
It added that all four groups belong to “Meta Superintelligence Labs,” a name that reflects Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg’s desire to build AI that surpasses human intelligence.
In pursuit of that goal, Meta has been aggressively spending on AI this year. That included efforts to [poach ](https://www.cnbc.com/2025/06/18/sam-altman-says-meta-tried-to-poach-openai-staff-with-100-million-bonuses-mark-zuckerberg.html)top talent from other AI companies, with offers said to [include signing bonuses](https://www.cnbc.com/2025/06/18/sam-altman-says-meta-tried-to-poach-openai-staff-with-100-million-bonuses-mark-zuckerberg.html) as high as $100 million.
In one of its most aggressive moves, Meta acquired Alexandr Wang, founder of Scale AI, as part of a deal that saw the Facebook parent dish out $14.3 billion for a 49% stake in the AI startup.
Wang now [leads the company’s AI lab](https://www.cnbc.com/2025/06/10/meta-scale-ai-alex-wang.html) focused on advancing its Llama series of open-source large language models.
More: [https://www.cnbc.com/2025/08/21/meta-brakes-massive-ai-talent-recruitment-spending-spree-mark-zuckerberg-tbd-superintelligence-lab.html](https://www.cnbc.com/2025/08/21/meta-brakes-massive-ai-talent-recruitment-spending-spree-mark-zuckerberg-tbd-superintelligence-lab.html)
I have to be honest, I find it hard to take Meta and Mark Zuckerberg serious. Really get the feeling that they are trying to hard. I can only imagine the amount of money they spend to keep Yan Le Cun happy.
More on this subject from other reputable sources:
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– Wall Street Journal (B): [Exclusive | Meta Freezes AI Hiring After Blockbuster Spending Spree](https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/meta-ai-hiring-freeze-fda6b3c4)
– english.alarabiya.net (C-): [Meta freezes AI hiring: Report ](https://english.alarabiya.net/business/technology/2025/08/21/meta-freezes-ai-hiring-report-)
– TechSpot (A-): [Meta restructures AI division, splits superintelligence team two months after formation](https://www.techspot.com/news/109140-meta-restructures-ai-division-splits-superintelligence-team-two.html)
– Barron's (A-): [Meta Freezes Artificial Intelligence Hiring: Report. It isn’t the End for the AI Trade.](https://www.barrons.com/articles/meta-stock-ai-trade-bubble-e4e9f0fb)
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