Meta Debuts New AI Model, Attempting to Catch Up to Google, OpenAI Meta has unveiled its first major artificial intelligence model since the high-profile hiring of Scale AI’s Alexandr Wang nine months ago, as the company seeks to reclaim its footing in the rapidly evolving AI landscape. The new model, named Muse Spark and previously codenamed Avocado, marks the debut of Meta’s Muse series, developed by the company’s Meta Superintelligence Labs, which Wang now leads. The announcement comes amid a broader industry shift, with Meta aiming to compete against dominant players like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google. The launch of Muse Spark follows a significant setback for Meta in its AI ambitions. Last April, the company’s Llama 4 family of models failed to generate the expected enthusiasm among developers, prompting CEO Mark Zuckerberg to reassess the company’s strategy. Llama had previously been positioned as an open-source alternative to proprietary models, but its shortcomings highlighted the challenges of balancing accessibility with performance. The new Muse Spark, however, represents a departure from that approach, as Meta has opted for a proprietary model instead of open-source licensing. The company expressed hope that future iterations of the model could be open-sourced, but for now, the focus is on delivering a competitive product. Alexandr Wang, who joined Meta in June as part of a $14.3 billion investment in Scale AI, has been central to the development of Muse Spark. His leadership at Meta Superintelligence Labs has been instrumental in rebuilding the company’s AI infrastructure from the ground up. In a blog post announcing the model, Meta emphasized that the development cycle for Muse Spark was faster than any previous project, reflecting the urgency of the competition.#google #meta #openai #alexandr_wang #meta_superintelligence_labs
