Meta Taps Former Google DeepMind Director to Lead AI Research Lab Amid Staff Exodus

According to Bloomberg, Meta has appointed Robert Fergus as the head of its Fundamental AI Research Lab (FAIR). Fergus spent approximately five years as a research director at Google DeepMind, as noted on his LinkedIn profile. Prior to his time at Google, he was a researcher at Meta.

Founded in 2013, Meta’s FAIR has faced challenges in recent years, according to a report from Fortune. This lab has overseen the development of the company’s early AI models, including Llama 1 and Llama 2.

However, it has been reported that many researchers have left the division to join other startups, companies, and even Meta’s new GenAI group, which is responsible for developing Llama 4. You can test this model and many others by visiting the BotHub platform through this referral link.

Former Meta vice president of AI research, Joel Pino, announced in April that she would be leaving the company for a new opportunity.

Please note that Meta and its services (Facebook, Instagram) are banned in the Russian Federation.

[Source](https://techcrunch.com/2025/05/08/meta-taps-former-google-deepmind-director-to-lead-its-ai-research-lab/)