Meta Platforms has brought back Robert Fergus to lead its AI research lab, FAIR, which he helped found in 2014 alongside Yann LeCun. After spending five years as a research director at Google's DeepMind, Fergus returns to replace Joelle Pineau, who steps down on 30 May.

Fergus, who previously spent six years as a research scientist at Facebook, announced his return on LinkedIn, expressing gratitude to Pineau and reaffirming Meta's long-term commitment to AI.

FAIR, Meta's Fundamental AI Research division, focuses on innovations such as voice translation and image recognition to support its open-source Llama language model.

The move comes as Meta ramps up its AI investment, with CEO Mark Zuckerberg allocating up to$65 billion in capital spending for 2025 to expand the company's AI infrastructure.

AI is now deeply integrated into Meta's services, including Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp, and a new standalone app meant to rival OpenAI.

By bringing Fergus back instead of appointing a new outsider, Meta signals its intent to build on its existing AI legacy while pushing further toward human-level machine experiences.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy?If so,ask our Diplo chatbot!