Meta Names ChatGPT Co-Creator Shengjia Zhao as Chief Scientist of Superintelligence Lab
Meta Platforms has appointed Shengjia Zhao, co-creator of ChatGPT and GPT-4, as the Chief Scientist of its newly launched Superintelligence Lab, CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced on Friday via Threads.
In his post, Zuckerberg revealed that Zhao will work directly with him and Alexandr Wang, Meta’s recently appointed Chief AI Officer, who joined from Scale AI after Meta took a major stake in the startup.
Who Is Shengjia Zhao?
Shengjia Zhao is a former OpenAI research scientist who played a pivotal role in the development of:
- ChatGPT
- GPT-4
- Mini models like GPT-4.1 and o3
Zhao’s move to Meta marks a significant talent acquisition in Silicon Valley’s ongoing AI arms race, as top researchers shift between industry giants like OpenAI, Google DeepMind, Anthropic, and Meta.
Why Zhao’s Appointment Matters
With Zhao at the helm of Meta’s Superintelligence Lab, the company is doubling down on its artificial general intelligence (AGI) ambitions. He is expected to:
- Define the lab’s research strategy and direction
- Accelerate Meta’s long-term AGI goals
- Lead development of next-generation Llama models
- Collaborate closely with Meta’s executive AI leadership
Zhao is also listed as a co-founder of the lab, highlighting his central role in shaping its future.
Meta’s Superintelligence Lab: A New Frontier in AGI
Meta recently launched the Superintelligence Lab to consolidate its efforts on:
- Advanced Llama models
- General-purpose AI research
- Open-source AGI development
Unlike FAIR (Facebook AI Research) — Meta’s legacy AI research division led by deep learning pioneer Yann LeCun — the Superintelligence Lab is focused on long-term general intelligence systems, operating as a separate, high-priority division. “In this role, Shengjia will set the research agenda and scientific direction for our new lab, working directly with me and Alex,” – Mark Zuckerberg, Threads
Meta’s Talent War and Strategy Shift
The hiring of Zhao is part of Meta’s broader strategy to:
- Recruit top AI talent from rivals like OpenAI
- Outpace competitors in the race to build AGI
- Offer industry-leading compensation and strategic startup deals
- Rebound from lukewarm reception of Llama 4
Meta’s aggressive recruitment approach follows a wave of underwhelming reviews for Llama 4, pushing the company to recalibrate its AI roadmap and invest heavily in leadership and research expertise.
Open Source AI: Meta’s Bold Commitment
Meta has committed to making its AI research open-source, even as it pushes toward full general intelligence. While this transparency has been welcomed by some in the AI community, others have raised ethical and safety concerns.
By bringing in Zhao, Meta signals that it is not only chasing cutting-edge performance but also aims to lead on AI governance and openness.
Conclusion
Shengjia Zhao’s appointment as Chief Scientist of Meta’s Superintelligence Lab underscores the company’s seriousness in the race toward AGI. With a veteran from OpenAI now leading its most ambitious AI initiative, Meta is positioning itself to play a central role in shaping the future of artificial intelligence.
As competition in the AI space intensifies, all eyes will be on how Zhao’s leadership and Zuckerberg’s vision steer Meta’s next phase of AI innovation.
