Yann LeCun set to leave Meta and pioneer efficient AI focused on embodied learning

Yann LeCun, Meta’s chief AI scientist and Turing Award laureate, plans to exit after a decade to launch a new startup emphasising embodied AI and resource-efficient models, signalling a potential shift in AI development priorities.

Yann LeCun, Meta’s Chief AI Scientist and Vice President of AI Research, is poised to leave the company after a decade-long tenure to establish a new startup focused on pioneering advancements in artificial intelligence. LeCun, a Turing Award laureate celebrated for his foundational work in deep learning and convolutional neural networks, is recognized for groundbreaking contributions that dramatically improved image recognition accuracy, such as reducing error rates on the ImageNet dataset from over 30% to under 5%. This departure marks a significant moment in the AI community, given his central role in shaping Meta’s AI research since 2013.

The motivation behind LeCun’s new venture lies in a strategic pivot away from the current predominant trend in AI research that heavily invests in large language models (LLMs), which, although powerful, demand astronomically high computational resources. For instance, models like GPT-4 require over 10^23 floating point operations per second (FLOPS) during training, raising sustainability and scalability concerns. LeCun has voiced reservations about the energy inefficiency and diminishing returns associated with scaling these massive parameter-based models. Instead, his startup aims to focus on creating “useful” AI by advocating more for embodied AI and self-supervised learning methodologies. This approach emphasises AI systems that learn through interaction with the physical environment, thereby enabling more efficient data utilisation and real-world applicability, particularly in robotics and perception-to-action tasks.

LeCun’s vision aligns with developing what are known as ‘world models’, AI architectures designed to simulate and understand the complexities of the real world, moving beyond purely language-based capabilities. Such a strategic shift may reflect a broader reconsideration within the AI sector about balancing scale with efficiency and tangible utility. Industry reports indicate that this move could represent a meaningful divergence from Meta’s ongoing emphasis, where CEO Mark Zuckerberg has recently reorganised AI projects under Superintelligence Labs, led by Alexandr Wang, the former CEO of Scale AI. This reorganisation underscores Meta’s commitment to large-scale AI initiatives, contrasting with LeCun’s newly charted course.

LeCun’s departure is not isolated in Meta’s AI leadership. Joelle Pineau, Meta’s Vice President for AI Research, also announced her planned exit after an eight-year tenure marked by her advocacy for Meta’s open-source AI initiatives, including the development of the Llama large language model. Her resignation highlights a period of notable transition within Meta’s AI research team amidst growing competition across the AI landscape.

As LeCun embarks on this entrepreneurial path, he is reportedly in early stages of fundraising and assembling a team to bring his vision to life. His new startup aims to harness AI’s potential by focusing on computational efficiency and deploying systems capable of meaningful interaction with the world, potentially redefining future AI development trends. This move not only signifies a personal evolution for LeCun but also signals a potential realignment within the AI community, where the focus could gradually shift towards more embodied, resource-conscious intelligence.

📌 Reference Map:

• ^[1] (Quantum Zeitgeist) – Paragraph 1, Paragraph 2, Paragraph 3, Paragraph 6
• ^[2] (Reuters) – Paragraph 4, Paragraph 5
• ^[3] (AP News) – Paragraph 4
• ^[4] (Dataconomy) – Paragraph 2, Paragraph 3
• ^[5] (Nasdaq) – Paragraph 2, Paragraph 3
• ^[6] (TechCrunch) – Paragraph 2, Paragraph 3
• ^[7] (Yahoo Finance) – Paragraph 4, Paragraph 5

Source: Noah Wire Services

Noah Fact Check Pro

The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.

Freshness check

Score:
10

Notes:
The narrative is current, with the earliest known publication date being November 11, 2025. Multiple reputable outlets, including Reuters and TechCrunch, have reported on Yann LeCun’s planned departure from Meta to establish a new AI startup. ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/technology/meta-chief-ai-scientist-yann-lecun-plans-exit-launch-startup-ft-reports-2025-11-11/?utm_source=openai))

Quotes check

Score:
10

Notes:
The narrative includes direct quotes from Yann LeCun, such as his criticism of large language models and his advocacy for world models. These quotes are consistent with his known public statements and have been reported by multiple sources. ([arstechnica.com](https://arstechnica.com/ai/2025/11/metas-star-ai-scientist-yann-lecun-plans-to-leave-for-own-startup/?utm_source=openai))

Source reliability

Score:
10

Notes:
The narrative is supported by reputable sources, including Reuters, TechCrunch, and Dataconomy, which have independently reported on Yann LeCun’s planned departure from Meta and his plans to launch a new AI startup. ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/technology/meta-chief-ai-scientist-yann-lecun-plans-exit-launch-startup-ft-reports-2025-11-11/?utm_source=openai))

Plausability check

Score:
10

Notes:
The claims in the narrative are plausible and align with known developments within Meta’s AI division, including the restructuring under Alexandr Wang and the focus on large language models. Yann LeCun’s departure and his plans to focus on world models are consistent with his previous public statements and the current direction of AI research. ([arstechnica.com](https://arstechnica.com/ai/2025/11/metas-star-ai-scientist-yann-lecun-plans-to-leave-for-own-startup/?utm_source=openai))

Overall assessment

Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS

Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH

Summary:
The narrative is current, supported by reputable sources, and consistent with known developments and public statements. There are no significant credibility risks identified.