From Meta’s $14.3 billion bet to clash with Mark Zuckerberg: Alexandr Wang’s challenging first year

Meta’s push into artificial intelligence took a major turn in 2025 when CEO Mark Zuckerberg hired Alexandr Wang, the founder of Scale AI, and paired the move with a $14.3 billion investment in the company. Wang, then 28, was tasked with leading Meta’s AI strategy and overseeing Meta Superintelligence Labs (MSL), a division created to advance long-term AI goals. His arrival signaled Meta’s commitment to innovation and fresh leadership, though his experience managing a fast-growing startup faced scrutiny as he took on the challenge of guiding a global tech giant’s AI efforts. Under Wang’s leadership, Meta developed Muse Spark, a model initially codenamed Avocado, which was not released as open-source, marking a shift toward commercial AI products. He also integrated Meta’s investment in Scale AI, restructured research teams into focused groups, and became Meta’s public face for AI discussions at global forums. The new organizational framework aimed to attract top researchers and bridge gaps between research and product teams. However, reports from the Financial Times indicate internal tensions between Wang and Zuckerberg. Wang reportedly expressed concerns that Zuckerberg’s hands-on management style was too restrictive, hindering agility and experimentation within teams. Some employees also questioned whether Wang’s startup background fully equipped him for managing large-scale research and engineering operations at Meta. Meta’s restructuring efforts have continued, with multiple engineering teams—including those working on infrastructure, training data systems, and projects like Avocado and Mango—being reassigned. The changes align with the creation of a new applied engineering division, led by senior executive Maher Saba, focused on turning AI breakthroughs into products across Meta’s platforms. The overhaul reflects Meta’s broader effort to sharpen its focus on advanced AI, consolidating resources to accelerate product development and commercialization. While Wang’s role remains central to Meta’s AI ambitions, the reported friction and organizational shifts highlight the challenges of integrating external leadership into a large, established tech company.