The woman behind Llama AI leaves Meta
02 Apr 2025

Joelle Pineau, the head of artificial intelligence (AI) research at Meta Platforms, has announced her exit from the company.

In a LinkedIn post on Tuesday, Pineau announced that she will be leaving on May 30.

She has been with Meta for eight years and has led the Fundamental AI Research group (FAIR) since 2023.

Her work includes significant contributions to projects like PyTorch, FAISS, Roberta, Dino, Llama AI, SAM, Codegen, and Audiobox among others.

Pineau's departure comes amid Meta's AI expansion
Departure timing

Pineau's exit comes at a time when Meta is investing heavily and competing fiercely in the AI space.

In her LinkedIn post, she wrote, "Today, as the world undergoes significant change, as the race for AI accelerates, and as Meta prepares for its next chapter, it is time to create space for others to pursue the work."

This could suggest that her exit might be related to Meta's future plans in AI, although this is not explicitly stated.

Meta's AI division underwent restructuring last year
Division restructuring

Last year, Meta restructured its artificial intelligence division to unify its AI research portfolio and integrate advanced AI into its products and services.

The company also aimed to streamline the development of new technologies through this restructuring.

Pineau's departure could potentially impact these efforts, given her significant role in leading FAIR and contributing to various projects within the division, although this is not explicitly stated.