Meta Platforms has named Shengjia Zhao, one of the architects behind ChatGPT and GPT‑4, as Chief Scientist of its new Superintelligence Lab, CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced on Threads. In his post, Zuckerberg explained that Zhao will set the research agenda and scientific direction for the lab, working closely with Zuckerberg himself and Meta’s Chief AI Officer, Alexandr Wang. Zhao joins Meta after a stint as a research scientist at OpenAI, where he also helped develop several of OpenAI’s smaller models (4.1 and o3).
His hire is the latest in Meta’s aggressive recruitment drive, offering top talent lucrative packages and startup partnerships, to close the gap in advanced AI following the lukewarm reception of its Llama 4 model. The Superintelligence Lab, co‑founded by Zhao, will work alongside Meta’s long‑standing FAIR division under Yann LeCun to push toward true artificial general intelligence.
Why it matters
Zhao’s appointment signals Meta’s renewed commitment to leading the AI race, an initiative that could drive future revenue through cutting‑edge products and services. It also reflects the company’s willingness to invest heavily in talent, which may translate into a stronger competitive position.
