logo
Mark Zuckerberg's Meta recruits two key Apple AI engineers after luring team leader

Mark Zuckerberg's Meta recruits two key Apple AI engineers after luring team leader

Mint18-07-2025
Meta Platforms has recruited two senior artificial intelligence (AI) researchers from Apple, in what marks another major coup in the intensifying competition for top-tier AI talent. The appointments follow closely on the heels of Meta's high-profile acquisition of Ruoming Pang, the former head of Apple's large language model (LLM) division.
Mark Lee and Tom Gunter, both previously pivotal figures in Apple's AI efforts, have been brought on board Meta's Superintelligence Labs team, according to individuals familiar with the matter. While Lee has already commenced his new role, Gunter is expected to join in the near future. Meta has not officially confirmed the hires.
The move underscores Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg's commitment to positioning the company at the forefront of AI development. Zuckerberg has made AI a central strategic priority, pledging massive investment in personnel and infrastructure to rival the capabilities of OpenAI and Google. Just this week, he declared on Threads that Meta would "invest hundreds of billions of dollars into compute to build superintelligence".
Gunter, previously a distinguished engineer at Apple, left the company last month and briefly joined another AI venture before making the switch to Meta. Lee, reportedly the first hire made by Pang at Apple, also exited recently. Both were considered integral to Apple's Foundation Models (AFM) team, the group behind the company's generative AI projects.
Meta's offer to Pang, which included a compensation package exceeding $200 million, appears to have set a precedent. Gunter and several others in Meta's AI division are believed to have secured similarly lucrative multiyear contracts, valued at over $100 million.
These aggressive recruitment tactics come as Apple grapples with growing internal uncertainty. Its AFM division, responsible for developing proprietary AI models for Siri and Apple Intelligence, is in flux, with senior leaders reportedly weighing the use of third-party models like OpenAI's ChatGPT or Anthropic's Claude for upcoming products.
Apple's top AI executives, including Research Head Daphne Luong and SVP John Giannandrea, are now collaborating with software chiefs Craig Federighi and Mike Rockwell to decide the strategic direction of Siri and associated AI services, ahead of a planned rollout next spring.
In response to Meta's poaching efforts, Apple has started offering pay increases to some members of the AFM team, estimated to be around 100 strong, in an attempt to retain key personnel. However, these incentives reportedly fall far short of the eye-watering sums Meta is willing to commit.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Telling secrets to ChatGPT? Using it as a therapist? Your AI chats aren't legally private, warns Sam Altman
Telling secrets to ChatGPT? Using it as a therapist? Your AI chats aren't legally private, warns Sam Altman

Time of India

time38 minutes ago

  • Time of India

Telling secrets to ChatGPT? Using it as a therapist? Your AI chats aren't legally private, warns Sam Altman

Many users may treat ChatGPT like a trusted confidant—asking for relationship advice, sharing emotional struggles, or even seeking guidance during personal crises. But OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has warned that unlike conversations with a therapist, doctor, or lawyer, chats with the AI tool carry no legal confidentiality. During a recent appearance on This Past Weekend, a podcast hosted by comedian Theo Von, Altman said that users, particularly younger ones, often treat ChatGPT like a therapist or life coach. However, he cautioned that the same legal safeguards that protect personal conversations in professional settings do not extend to AI. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Data Science Artificial Intelligence Operations Management Degree Healthcare Technology Design Thinking Leadership Digital Marketing Public Policy Product Management CXO Data Analytics Finance Others others MCA PGDM Project Management Cybersecurity Data Science Management MBA healthcare Skills you'll gain: Duration: 10 Months IIM Kozhikode CERT-IIMK DABS India Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 11 Months IIT Madras CERT-IITM Advanced Cert Prog in AI and ML India Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 11 Months E&ICT Academy, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati CERT-IITG Postgraduate Cert in AI and ML India Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 30 Weeks IIM Kozhikode SEPO - IIMK-AI for Senior Executives India Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 10 Months E&ICT Academy, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati CERT-IITG Prof Cert in DS & BA with GenAI India Starts on undefined Get Details Altman explained that legal privileges—such as doctor-patient or attorney-client confidentiality—do not apply when using ChatGPT. If there's a lawsuit, OpenAI could be compelled to turn over user chats, including the most sensitive ones. 'That's very screwed up,' Altman admitted, adding that the lack of legal protection is a major gap that needs urgent attention. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like SRM Online MBA | India's top ranked institute SRM Online Learn More Undo Altman Urges New Privacy Standards for AI Altman believes that conversations with AI should eventually be treated with the same privacy standards as those with human professionals. He pointed out that the rapid adoption of generative AI has raised legal and ethical questions that didn't even exist a year ago. Von, who expressed hesitation about using ChatGPT due to privacy concerns, found Altman's warning validating. The OpenAI chief acknowledged that the absence of clear regulations could be a barrier for users who might otherwise benefit from the chatbot's assistance. 'It makes sense to want privacy clarity before you use it a lot,' Altman said, agreeing with Von's skepticism. Chats Can Be Accessed and Stored According to OpenAI's own policies, conversations from users on the free tier can be retained for up to 30 days for safety and system improvement, though they may sometimes be kept longer for legal reasons. This means chats are not end-to-end encrypted like on messaging platforms such as WhatsApp or Signal. OpenAI staff may access user inputs to optimize the AI model or monitor misuse. The privacy issue is not just theoretical. OpenAI is currently involved in a lawsuit with The New York Times, which has brought the company's data storage practices under scrutiny. A court order related to the case has reportedly required OpenAI to retain and potentially produce user conversations—excluding those from its ChatGPT Enterprise customers. OpenAI is appealing the order, calling it an overreach. Debate Around AI and Data Rights Altman also highlighted that tech companies are increasingly facing demands to produce user data in legal or criminal cases. He drew parallels to how people shifted to encrypted health tracking apps after the U.S. Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade reversal, which raised fears about digital privacy around personal choices. While AI chatbots like ChatGPT have become a popular tool for emotional support, the legal framework surrounding their use hasn't caught up. Until it does, Altman's message is clear: users should be cautious about what they choose to share.

Apple iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max shocking new looks, colours revealed? Details here
Apple iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max shocking new looks, colours revealed? Details here

Time of India

timean hour ago

  • Time of India

Apple iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max shocking new looks, colours revealed? Details here

Apple has rumoured line up of a number of iPhones. Apple iPhone 17 , iPhone 17 Air , iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max are likely to be released in a number of colours, according to reports citing alleged leaks. This comes as Bloomberg News reported that Apple was planning new Macbook pro, iPhone 17e and iPads by early 2026. Apple has introduced Applecare one, streamlining coverage into a single plan with incredible value. Apple Inc stated that Applecare one costs $19.99/month for three products, as per Reuters report. Apple iPhone 17 Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category PGDM Design Thinking Finance Data Science Digital Marketing Healthcare Cybersecurity Artificial Intelligence MCA Others Management healthcare Data Science CXO Data Analytics Public Policy Project Management Product Management Leadership MBA others Operations Management Degree Technology Skills you'll gain: Financial Analysis & Decision Making Quantitative & Analytical Skills Organizational Management & Leadership Innovation & Entrepreneurship Duration: 24 Months IMI Delhi Post Graduate Diploma in Management (Online) Starts on Sep 1, 2024 Get Details According to leaks, Apple iPhone 17 will come in multiple colours, including black and white. The other colours are reportedly steel gray, black, white, green, purple, and light blue. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Join new Free to Play WWII MMO War Thunder War Thunder Play Now Undo Apple iPhone 17 Air Apple iPhone 17 Air will come in light blue. iPhone 17 Air will have other colour varieties such as black, white, light blue, light gold, as per the leaks. Apple iPhone 17 Air Pro, Apple iPhone 17 Air Pro Max Live Events Apple iPhone 17 Air Pro and Pro Max are likely to come in orange hue, black, white, gray, dark blue, as per leaks. Readers please note that all these details about Apple iPhone 17 variants are based on reported leaks and Apple is yet to make any confirmation. Meanwhile, at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June, Apple announced iOS 26, the next version of its iPhone operating system. Among the new features, there is a complete redesign with Apple's new "Liquid Glass" design language along with updates to apps across the platform, according to a report by The Verge. The announcement also marked a change in how Apple signifies its major updates to iOS. Under the previous marketing scheme, this year's major release would have been iOS 19 -- the direct follow-up to iOS 18. However, as per the new announcements at the WWDC 2025, Apple's big iOS updates will now be numbered based on the year following their introduction, reported The Verge. FAQs Q1. When did Apple WWDC happen? A1. Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) held in June. Q2. How many iPhones Apple are planning? A2. Apple has rumoured line up of a number of iPhones. Apple iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max.

Meet Lumo, the new AI chatbot that protects user privacy
Meet Lumo, the new AI chatbot that protects user privacy

Indian Express

time2 hours ago

  • Indian Express

Meet Lumo, the new AI chatbot that protects user privacy

Proton, the company that introduced the encrypted email service Proton Mail, has now unveiled an AI chatbot with focus on user privacy. Named Lumo, the chatbot can generate code, write email, summarise documents, and much more. Proton has dubbed its AI chatbot as an alternative to ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot, etc. The AI chatbot preserves user privacy while storing data locally on users' devices. Lumo is powered by several open-source large language models that run on Proton's servers in Europe, including Mistral's Nemo, Mistral Small 3, Nvidia's OpenHands 32B, and the Allen Institute for AI's OLMO 2 32B model. Lumo can field requests through different models depending on which is better suited for a query. The company claims that the new chatbot will protect information with 'zero-access' encryption, which grants the user an encryption key that allows them exclusive access to their data. This encryption key will block third parties and even Proton from accessing the user content, meaning the company will not be sharing any personal information. Proton has reportedly used Transport Layer Security (TLS) encryption for data transmission and 'asymmetrically' encrypts prompts, allowing only the Lumo GPU servers to decrypt them. When it comes to features, Ghost mode ensures that your active chat sessions are not saved, not even on local devices. With the Web search feature, Lumo can look up recent or new information on the internet to add to its current knowledge. It can also understand and analyse your files, but does not keep a record of them. Lastly, integration with Proton Drive makes it simple to add end-to-end encrypted files from your Proton Drive to your Lumo chats. The chatbot comes with internet search, however, it is disabled by default to ensure privacy. Once enabled, Lumo will deploy privacy-friendly search engines to provide responses to user queries. It can analyse uploaded files, but it does not store any of the data. Proton Drive files, which are meant to remain end-to-end encrypted while communicating with the chatbot, can also be linked by users to Lumo. The chatbot comes in both a free and premium version. Those without an account with Lumo or Proton, will be able to ask 25 queries per week. They will not be able to access chat histories. On the other hand, users with a free account can ask up to 100 questions per week. Lumo Plus plan is priced at $12.99 a month and comes with unlimited chats, an extended encrypted chat history, and more.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store