Meta has hired Frank Chu, a longtime Apple executive who worked on artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies. Chu’s move comes at a time when Meta is pulling back on broader hiring, making the appointment stand out as a key strategic addition.
According to Bloomberg, Chu spent more than a decade at Apple, where he contributed to core AI initiatives and helped shape the company’s approach to integrating machine learning into consumer products. His expertise is expected to bolster Meta’s ongoing investments in AI research and infrastructure, particularly as the company continues to push advancements in generative AI, recommendation systems, and its family of AI-powered assistants.
Meta has been scaling back its overall hiring in recent months as part of efforts to control costs and streamline operations. The decision to bring in Chu despite this slowdown underscores how critical AI leadership is for the company’s future. Even as Meta prioritizes efficiency, it continues to channel resources into artificial intelligence, viewing it as the foundation for future growth across social platforms, advertising, and hardware products like Quest headsets.
Apple and Meta have increasingly found themselves in direct competition over AI and hardware. Apple has been investing heavily in Apple Intelligence, integrating on-device AI into iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. Meta, meanwhile, has positioned AI as the core of its product strategy, from enhancing user engagement on Instagram and Facebook to developing conversational assistants inside WhatsApp and Messenger. Recruiting a senior figure from Apple signals that Meta is determined to accelerate its AI ambitions and keep pace with rivals.
For Apple, Chu’s departure adds to a growing list of high-profile exits across its AI and chip divisions. In recent years, the company has lost several engineers and executives to competitors including Meta, Google, and startups focusing on generative AI. These moves highlight how competitive the global AI talent race has become, with Big Tech firms vying for expertise that can shape the next generation of consumer technology.
For Meta, the appointment reflects a balancing act between financial discipline and targeted investment. The company may be slowing its broader hiring, but by securing an executive with deep AI experience, it is signaling that leadership in artificial intelligence remains a top priority. The move also shows how Meta intends to selectively hire talent from rivals in areas deemed too strategic to compromise.
