Ruoming Pang quits Apple to join Meta's AI venture: Will it trigger more exits from Apple's AI models team?
Meta didn't just lure Pang with ambition for developing AI models. They reportedly offered him a package worth tens of millions per year. The company is pulling in top AI minds from rivals like OpenAI and Anthropic too with Mark Zuckerberg personally involved in recruiting, even hosting interviews at his home.
Ruoming Pang's exit signals trouble at Apple's AI division
Pang was overseeing around 100 people at Apple, working on models powering features like Genmoji, Priority Notifications, and the upgraded Siri. But all hasn't been smooth. Internally, Apple has been debating whether to continue building its own models or use outside ones from OpenAI or Anthropic.
Zuck just poached another Chinese AI star.Ruoming Pang, who led Apple's Foundation Models team, is joining Meta's Superintelligence team.Wild that Apple has ~100 people working on 'Apple Intelligence' like Genmoji.What's stopping Apple from poaching AI talent like Zuck? pic.twitter.com/nFgDnkmL5K
That shift in strategy reportedly affected morale in Pang's team, known as the Apple Foundation Models (AFM) group. Some engineers have already hinted they're planning to leave. Pang's deputy, Tom Gunter, left just last month. Now that Pang is gone too, a bigger wave of exits might follow.
Meta wants to dominate the AI race
Meta has made it clear that AI is its top focus. It's investing tens of billions this year in AI infrastructure and hiring. The company recently reorganised its AI units to focus on what it calls 'superintelligence', a form of AI that can outperform humans at certain tasks.
THE AI FREE AGENCY CONTINUES$META just poached $AAPL top AI exec, Ruoming Pang, for its new AI Superintelligence division 😳 pic.twitter.com/rkf532tpcd
Zuckerberg has already hired big names like Alexandr Wang from Scale AI and several researchers from OpenAI and Anthropic. Meta's offers are far higher than what most companies, including Apple, currently pay.
What's next for Apple's AI efforts?
After Pang's exit, Apple's AFM team will now be led by Zhifeng Chen. Instead of Pang's flat structure, Apple is now switching to a more layered format with several managers below Chen.
Meanwhile, Apple's AI strategy is now mostly in the hands of Craig Federighi and Mike Rockwell. John Giannandrea, who used to lead the AI effort, has been moved away from Siri and other key projects.
In June, Apple unveiled its AI features at WWDC. But most of the spotlight went to partners like OpenAI and Google, not Apple's in-house work. Now with Pang gone and other engineers potentially following, Apple's AI journey looks even harder.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Today
2 hours ago
- India Today
Trump 'thinking about' tariffs on China over Russian oil imports: JD Vance
After slapping heavy tariffs on India for buying Russian oil, US President Donald Trump is now considering similar measures against China, Vice President JD Vance said Sunday. However, no final decision has been made yet, as the US weighs the complexities of its relationship with an interview on Fox News' Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo, Vance was asked whether the US would target China with tariffs similar to those slapped on India for buying Russian responded, "Well, the president said he's thinking about it, but he hasn't made any firm decisions. Obviously, the China issue is a little bit more complicated because our relationship with China, just. It affects a lot of other things that have nothing to do with the Russian situation. So the president's reviewing his options and, of course, going to make that decision when he decides."CHINA'S INCREASING IMPORTS FROM RUSSIA According to the customs data, China's imports of Russian oil rose to over $10 billion in July, the highest monthly total since March. While overall imports from Russia this year remain down by 7.7% compared with the same period in defended its energy trade with Russia amid US threats of tariffs. The Chinese Foreign Ministry stated in a Friday briefing to Bloomberg News, "It is legitimate and lawful for China to conduct normal economic, trade and energy cooperation with all countries around the world, including Russia. We will continue to adopt reasonable energy security measures in accordance with our national interests."While Trump has targeted China's purchases of Russian oil, his senior adviser Peter Navarro downplayed the possibility of new tariffs on Chinese exports. Navarro warned that higher duties "may hurt the US."US IMPOSES TARIFFS ON INDIALast week, Trump announced an additional 25 per cent trade tariff on Indian imports after warning the country over its oil purchases from Russia, taking the total levy to 50 per cent. The new tariffs will take effect on August reacted strongly to the increased duties, condemning them as "unfair, unjustified and unreasonable." The Ministry of External Affairs stressed that India's energy imports are driven by market factors and aimed at securing energy supplies for its population of 1.4 billion."We have already made clear our position on these issues, including the fact that our imports are based on market factors and done with the overall objective of ensuring the energy security of 1.4 billion people of India," the ministry said in an official statement.- EndsTune InTrending Reel
Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak calls out YouTube over rampant scam videos
Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak reflected on how the internet, which was once a tool for empowerment, has now become a fertile ground for fraud, in a recent chat. In an interview with CBS, Wozniak said the computer revolution he helped start was good until the internet offered new business models, in ways that companies exercise power over other people. Steve Wozniak spoke about the prevalence of internet scams in a recent interview.(Bloomberg) 'That's when some of the bad started happening,' Wozniak noted. Bitcoin scam hits close to home A YouTube scam used clips of Wozniak discussing bitcoin, falsely promising to double any cryptocurrency sent to a displayed address. Victims, including Jennifer Marion, collectively lost large sums: Marion alone sent 0.9 bitcoin, which was then valued at $59,000 and received nothing in return. Speaking about it, Wozniak's wife, Janet, said the scammers had put a frame in the video, making false claims with a bitcoin address. This, she told CBS, was a tell-tale sign of it being a fraud. Despite reporting the video repeatedly, it stayed up. 'YouTube is helping dupe people out of their money,' she said. Also read: Southeast Wisconsin weather radar: Flash flood warnings issued in Milwaukee and 5 other counties- here's what we know Taking on big tech in court The CBS report added that Wozniak sued YouTube on behalf of victims, but the case has been stalled for five years due to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act: the 1996 law shielding online platforms from liability for third-party content. Wozniak told the publication that the platform has no liability at all. 'It's totally absolute,' Wozniak said. Attorney Brian Danitz added that scams generate billions annually, and platforms are not acting fast enough to curb them. Also read: Apple Got the Jump on Tariffs, Deciding Years Ago to Make iPhones in India A broader internet problem Wozniak warned about these scams being beyond a single site alone: they are everywhere on the Internet through spam, phishing, or increasingly sophisticated AI tools. "There isn't enough real muscle to fight it," he told CBS. Marion, too, warned users against assuming anything is safe because it appears on known platforms. From democratization to exploitation Wozniak reportedly still remembers the promise of internet: a place where anybody could share knowledge worldwide without gatekeepers. Wozniak admitted he loved it for that, but monetization models were introduced and changed everything. "Companies figured out how to exploit it. Google had to make money, and the only way was tracking you and selling to advertisers,' Wozniak said. FAQs Q1: What scam targeted Steve Wozniak? Scammers used edited YouTube videos of him discussing bitcoins, promising to double any cryptocurrency sent. Q2: How much did victims lose? Some lost their life savings; one victim reported losing $59,000. Q3: Why can't Steve Wozniak sue YouTube directly? Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act shields online platforms from liability for user-generated content. Q4: Has YouTube removed the fraudulent videos? Victims and Wozniak say many remained online despite repeated reports. Q5: What is Steve Wozniak calling for? He is calling for stronger accountability from tech platforms to combat and prevent online scams.
Economic Times
4 hours ago
- Economic Times
China's Xinjiang-Tibet railway line all set to Chug Along
Synopsis China is preparing to build the Xinjiang-Tibet railway near Ladakh. This project will run close to the Line of Actual Control. The railway company will handle construction and tourism. This plan has been in development for many years. It is one of China's major projects. India and China are currently in talks to ease border tensions. China's Xinjiang-Tibet railway line all set to Chug Along (representative image) After decades of feasibility work, China is set to start construction on the strategic Xinjiang-Tibet railway line - along India's northern borders in Ladakh - with the establishment of a dedicated entity for the purpose, Xinjiang Tibet Railway Co. Ltd, over the past week. The planned link is likely to cross the Aksai Chin and run close to the G219 highway, not far from the Line of Actual Control. Border infrastructure has been a point of serious concern, leading to standoff and skirmishes. This comes at a time when India and China are in talks to de-escalate tensions along LAC. More talks are slated in the runup to the SCO summit later this month. The new company's mandates are construction, manufacturing of railway transportation equipment, real estate development and operations, besides developing tourist facilities. Just like the mega dam on the upper reaches of Brahmaputra (Yarlung Tsangpo), for which a state-owned enterprise China Yajiang Group was floated and where construction started last month, the Xinjiang Tibet Railway Co Ltd will be wholly owned by China State Railway Group Ltd. The company has been set up with registered capital of 95 billion yuan (nearly $13.2b) and one Ma Yinjun as its legal representative, in filings reported from China's National Enterprise Credit Information Publicity system. Plan in the works The railway plan has been in the works for nearly two decades. It was first mentioned in 2006-08 around the time the first rail line to Lhasa was operationalised. The link was to be part of a network connecting Lhasa to the Chinese mainland, Yunnan and Chengdu to the East and Xinjiang in the West. But the Xinjiang link has been on paper for a while largely due to the extensive feasibility studies needed for the project, which will traverse through very harsh terrain, sub-zero and permafrost conditions. In 2018, a section of the Xinjiang-Tibet Railway was included in the 2021-30 Railway Network Development Plan for Tibet Autonomous Region.'One of 45 major projects'In May 2022, a tender was awarded for the Hotan-Shigatse railway survey and design project by China State Railway Group. In April 2025, the Chinese transport ministry in a press conference identified the Xinjiang-Tibet railway line as one of the 45 major projects, where construction was to be started within the year. ( Originally published on Aug 10, 2025 )
