Tag: Meta

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Leaders

MongoDB CEO CJ Desai moves to Meta

Meta has made a significant leadership hire as it steps up its push into enterprise artificial intelligence, appointing MongoDB President and CEO Chirantan “CJ” Desai as its Chief Enterprise Platform Officer.

Desai has stepped down from MongoDB with immediate effect to join Meta, where he will report directly to CEO Mark Zuckerberg. His new mandate is to build and lead Meta Enterprise Platform, a newly created business aimed at bringing the company’s AI models, agents and developer tools to businesses.

The move puts an experienced enterprise technology executive at the centre of Meta’s effort to turn its growing AI capabilities into products that companies can use to build applications, automate work and serve customers.

Zuckerberg described Meta Enterprise Platform as the “next major pillar” of the company’s business. The platform will initially bring together technologies including the Muse AI agent, Meta Business Agent, Muse API and Muse Code for businesses and developers.

Desai’s appointment comes less than a year after he became MongoDB’s CEO. He took over the database software company’s top job from Dev Ittycheria in November 2025, making his move to Meta a relatively early change in his tenure.

MongoDB moved quickly to manage the leadership transition. Its board appointed Ittycheria as interim President and CEO, effective immediately, while beginning a search for a permanent successor. The company has also retained an executive search firm to support the process.

The company said its business outlook remains unchanged and reaffirmed the guidance it issued on September 1. MongoDB is also holding its Investor Day on September 29, where its leadership team is expected to discuss its longer-term strategy, market opportunities and product development.

The leadership change triggered an immediate reaction in MongoDB shares. The stock fell sharply after Desai’s departure was announced, with Reuters reporting an 18% decline in morning trading.

The market reaction reflects the importance investors place on leadership continuity, particularly at technology companies competing in rapidly changing AI and cloud markets.

Desai brings a long enterprise-software career to Meta. Before joining MongoDB, he was President of Product and Engineering at Cloudflare. Earlier, he spent nearly eight years at ServiceNow, eventually becoming President and Chief Operating Officer. His career has also included leadership roles at Oracle, Symantec and EMC.

His background covers several areas that are central to Meta’s new enterprise strategy, including software platforms, infrastructure, AI, security, product development and business applications.

That experience is particularly relevant to Meta’s latest ambition. The company has historically generated the bulk of its revenue from advertising across Facebook, Instagram and its other platforms. Its enterprise AI push represents an effort to take its technology directly to corporate customers and developers.

Meta says its enterprise platform will use the company’s existing strengths in AI models, agents, infrastructure and its relationships with businesses. The company already works with millions of advertisers and hundreds of millions of businesses across its platforms.

Desai said AI will reshape how organisations innovate, grow, serve customers and run their operations. He said Meta’s goal is to turn its AI technology into products and services that companies can deploy within their own businesses, with security and privacy built into its enterprise products.

The appointment also comes as enterprise AI becomes an increasingly important market for technology companies. Businesses are looking beyond chatbots towards AI agents, coding assistants, automated workflows and tools that can be integrated into existing software systems.

Meta has already been moving in that direction. Its Meta Business Agent is designed to help businesses interact with customers through platforms including WhatsApp, Messenger and Instagram, while its Muse tools are aimed at expanding the role of AI agents and developers.

Desai’s arrival gives Meta an executive with experience selling and scaling enterprise technology at several major software companies. His challenge now is to turn that experience into a new business for a company whose core strength has traditionally been consumer technology and digital advertising.

At MongoDB, meanwhile, Ittycheria returns to a company he led for 11 years, from 2014 to 2025. During his tenure, MongoDB grew from roughly $35 million in annual revenue to more than $2.3 billion, according to the company.

The board has described the business as strong and said Ittycheria’s familiarity with MongoDB, its employees and customers will help ensure continuity while the search for a permanent CEO continues.

The leadership changes at both companies highlight how quickly the AI boom is reshaping the technology industry. For Meta, Desai’s appointment signals that enterprise AI is becoming a central part of its next phase. For MongoDB, the immediate priority is maintaining momentum while it searches for its next permanent leader.

 

Categories
Technology

Meta expands AI glasses lineup with new VR devices

Meta is making a bigger bet on glasses as the next major platform for artificial intelligence, unveiling a new range of smart glasses, a lightweight virtual reality device and a pocket-sized AI gadget at its annual Connect event.

The company showcased the products as it works to make AI more useful without requiring users to constantly reach for a smartphone. Its new lineup combines Meta AI, virtual reality, hands-free computing and audio technology, while also addressing growing concerns about privacy around camera-equipped wearables.

One of the biggest announcements was the arrival of Muse, Meta’s personal AI agent, on its AI glasses. The company says users will be able to interact with Muse hands-free and ask it to understand what they are seeing, answer questions and carry out tasks.

Muse can, for example, identify a product on a shelf, read information from a flyer or help with a list of items. Meta is also adding connectors to services including shopping, travel, productivity and payments, allowing the AI agent to do more than simply answer questions.

The move reflects Meta’s broader effort to turn AI glasses into everyday computing devices rather than accessories for taking photos or listening to music.

New camera-free smart glasses

Meta also introduced Ray-Ban Meta Audio, its first audio-only glasses. Unlike camera-equipped smart glasses, the new model focuses on music, calls and AI interaction without a camera.

Weighing about 43 grams, the glasses are designed for all-day use and offer up to 12 hours of battery life on a single charge, according to Meta. They can play music and podcasts, handle phone calls and provide access to Meta AI through voice commands.

The Ray-Ban Meta Audio glasses are available for pre-order from $349, with shipments scheduled to begin on October 13.

The camera-free design also comes as smart glasses face increasing scrutiny over privacy. Camera-equipped wearables have raised concerns about people being recorded without their knowledge, making devices without cameras one way for manufacturers to address some of those concerns.

Ray-Ban Meta gets an upgrade

Meta also unveiled Ray-Ban Meta Gen 3, the latest version of its popular AI glasses.

The new model has a slimmer design, longer battery life and a customisable action button for quicker access to Meta AI. Battery life has increased to up to nine hours, while a six-microphone system is designed to reduce background noise during calls and voice interactions.

The glasses include a 12-megapixel camera capable of recording 3K Ultra HD video. Meta has also introduced dynamic photos and plans to add Dolby Atmos capture with spatial audio later this year.

Ray-Ban Meta Gen 3 starts at $449.

Meta is also expanding its range of frame designs and collaborations. The company said it expects to have more than 100 AI glasses options across Ray-Ban, Oakley and Meta Glasses by the end of 2026.

Hearing assistance comes to AI glasses

Another significant addition is hearing enhancement, a software feature designed for adults with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss.

Meta said the feature has received FDA clearance and can be set up at home without a clinic visit or prescription. It will initially launch in the US later this year for supported AI glasses at $149.99, or through a Meta One subscription.

The company is positioning the feature as part of a wider attempt to make wearable technology useful for everyday accessibility, rather than limiting smart glasses to entertainment and AI functions.

Meta unveils $1,299 VR glasses

Meta’s most ambitious hardware announcement was its new Meta VR Glasses, which bring virtual reality into a glasses-style design.

The device weighs about 100 grams, roughly the weight of a deck of cards, and is designed to provide immersive entertainment, gaming and productivity without the bulky headset form associated with conventional VR devices.

Meta says the VR glasses can function as a personal cinema, gaming display and portable workspace. Users can also turn a flat surface into a virtual keyboard and touchpad.

The device is priced at $1,299 and is expected to ship in spring 2027. Meta is positioning it as a lighter alternative to traditional VR headsets, while also competing in a market where Apple’s Vision Pro has set a premium benchmark.

The VR glasses will support immersive entertainment from services including Prime Video, YouTube, ESPN and other platforms. Meta also said users will be able to watch selected 3D content and experience more than 100 immersive live sports events each year.

Privacy remains a challenge

Meta’s push into wearable AI comes at a time when privacy has become a major issue for the industry.

Smart glasses that can see, hear and respond to their surroundings raise questions about recording, data collection and consent. Meta’s existing camera-equipped glasses have faced criticism over potential covert recording, while privacy concerns have also emerged more broadly around AI-powered wearable devices.

The company’s camera-free glasses therefore offer a different approach, while its existing models continue to include an LED indicator intended to signal when photos or video are being captured.

With Muse, new AI glasses, hearing assistance and lightweight VR hardware, Meta is increasingly treating eyewear as a central part of its technology strategy.

The challenge now is moving these products from impressive demonstrations into devices people are comfortable wearing every day. Their success will depend not only on AI capabilities and design, but also on battery life, price, privacy and whether consumers see enough practical value to leave their phones in their pockets.

 

Categories
Technology

Meta unveils Muse, its new personal AI agent

Meta has launched Muse, a new personal AI agent designed to do more than answer questions. The company says Muse can handle everyday tasks on a user’s behalf, including sending emails, planning trips, managing schedules, shopping online and making payments.

The launch marks a major step in Meta’s push towards AI agents that can act independently instead of simply responding to instructions. The idea is to give users an AI assistant that can understand a goal and then take several steps to complete it.

Muse is initially available in the United States through a dedicated app and WhatsApp. Meta plans to expand the service and add more capabilities over time.

Unlike a traditional chatbot, Muse can interact with other applications and online services. A user could ask it to organise a trip, for example, and the agent could work through calendars, travel services and other connected apps to complete the task.

It can also draft and send emails, fill out forms, manage projects, list items for sale and help with shopping. The system can even complete purchases and make payments when the user gives it permission.

That ability is one of the biggest differences between a normal AI chatbot and an agentic AI system. A chatbot generally waits for a question and provides an answer. An AI agent is designed to take action after understanding what the user wants.

Meta is positioning Muse as a personal assistant that can work across different parts of a person’s digital life. It can connect with services related to email, calendars, shopping, finance, health and fitness, smart-home devices and other applications.

The company says users remain in control of which services Muse can access. Permission controls are built into the system, allowing people to decide what information and applications the AI can use.

Security is a major focus because Muse needs access to sensitive information to perform many of its tasks. Meta says the agent operates through a secure virtual machine, separating its activity from the user’s main device.

The system also has a separate safety mechanism designed to monitor what the AI is doing. This is particularly important when Muse is performing actions such as sending messages or making purchases.

Payments are another area where Meta is taking additional precautions. The company says transactions require user approval, meaning Muse is not supposed to independently spend money without permission.

The launch comes as technology companies increasingly compete to build personal AI assistants capable of carrying out real-world tasks.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has described the company’s long-term goal as creating “personal superintelligence” — AI systems that can become highly useful companions in people’s daily lives.

Muse is part of that larger strategy. Meta wants its AI products to move beyond simple conversations and become tools that can help people manage work, communication, shopping and personal activities.

The company also has an advantage that many AI rivals do not: a huge network of widely used platforms. WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook already have billions of users, giving Meta multiple ways to bring AI services to consumers.

WhatsApp is particularly important because people already use it for conversations, businesses and everyday coordination. Bringing an AI agent into that environment could make it easier for users to ask Muse to perform tasks without opening several different apps.

Meta is also looking at bringing its AI capabilities to smart glasses in the future. That could allow users to interact with an AI assistant through wearable devices rather than relying only on a phone or computer.

However, the launch also raises questions about how much control users should give an AI agent.

An assistant that can read emails, access calendars, browse shopping sites and make payments has access to far more personal information than a basic chatbot. A mistake by the AI could therefore have more serious consequences.

Meta has faced questions around privacy and AI safety in the past, making trust an important part of Muse’s rollout. The company has said it delayed the launch while working on security and reliability issues.

Internal testing had reportedly exposed problems ranging from inconsistent performance to potential privacy and security risks. Meta says it has since strengthened the system and launched Muse only after meeting its required safety standards.

Reliability will be another major test. People may be comfortable asking an AI to suggest a restaurant or write an email, but they may be less willing to let it book an expensive holiday or make a financial transaction without close supervision.

The company is therefore entering a market where convenience and trust will have to grow together.

Meta has introduced both free and paid options for Muse. The paid plans are aimed at users who want greater access to the service and more extensive AI capabilities.

The move also reflects the changing economics of the artificial intelligence industry. Technology companies are searching for ways to turn AI into products that people will use regularly, rather than relying only on advertising or basic chatbot services.

Muse could eventually become part of a much broader digital assistant ecosystem covering communication, shopping, travel, work, health and home management.

The technology is still in its early stages, and its success will depend on whether people are comfortable allowing an AI system to act on their behalf.

Meta’s latest launch shows where the next phase of consumer AI may be heading: away from systems that simply answer questions and towards AI agents that can actually get things done.

 

Categories
Technology

Meta faces major US trial over youth safety claims

Meta Platforms is facing a major legal challenge in the US as a federal trial examines allegations that Facebook and Instagram were designed to encourage prolonged and potentially addictive use among children and teenagers.

The case, being heard in Oakland, California, is part of a wider legal push against major social media platforms over alleged harm to young users. Attorneys general from 29 US states are involved in the litigation, with California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey leading the current proceedings.

The states accuse Meta of knowingly developing platform features that encouraged young users to remain online for longer periods while failing to adequately address concerns about their safety. Meta has denied the allegations and maintains that it has invested heavily in tools designed to protect teenagers online.

The lawsuit puts the spotlight on some of the technology behind Facebook and Instagram, particularly recommendation algorithms, notifications, infinite scrolling and engagement-driven design. Prosecutors are expected to argue that these features were developed to maximise user engagement and could make it difficult for younger users to stop using the platforms.

The case also examines whether Meta adequately protected children from potential risks associated with its services. Authorities have raised concerns about the company’s handling of young users’ data and whether it complied with US requirements governing the collection of information from children.

A major focus of the trial is expected to be Meta’s internal research and communications. Regulators and state attorneys have previously cited company documents to argue that Meta was aware of concerns surrounding teenagers’ experiences on Instagram and Facebook.

The allegations extend beyond ordinary concerns about excessive screen time. The states argue that the design of social media services can contribute to problems such as anxiety, depression, body-image concerns and other mental health issues among some young users.

Meta has rejected the suggestion that its platforms are responsible for such problems. The company has pointed to parental controls, age-related protections, teen accounts and other online safety features introduced in recent years. It has also argued that the states need to establish a direct link between specific Meta products and the harms they allege.

The technology company is facing the trial after years of increasing scrutiny over its approach to teenagers. Instagram, in particular, has faced questions over the effect of image-focused content and recommendation systems on younger users.

Meta has responded by introducing additional safeguards for teen accounts. These include stronger privacy settings, restrictions on certain types of content and greater controls for parents. The company has also said it continues to invest in artificial intelligence and other technologies to identify harmful content and improve user safety.

However, critics argue that safety measures introduced after regulatory pressure do not resolve questions about how the platforms were originally designed. The current trial will examine whether Meta’s business model and product decisions placed user engagement ahead of the safety of younger users.

The proceedings are being overseen by US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers. An advisory jury is participating in the trial, but its findings will not constitute the final decision. The judge will ultimately determine the outcome.

The trial could run for several weeks and may involve testimony from senior Meta executives. Company leadership could face detailed questions about product development, internal research, content recommendation systems and decisions involving teenage users.

The case is significant for the technology industry because it could influence how courts assess the responsibility of platforms whose algorithms shape what users see and how long they remain engaged, adding to the wider debate around technology regulation and platform accountability.

Meta is not the only technology company facing such scrutiny. TikTok, YouTube and Snap are also dealing with lawsuits and regulatory investigations involving alleged risks to children and teenagers. School districts, families and government authorities across the US have increasingly questioned whether social media companies have done enough to protect young users.

The legal pressure is also encouraging policymakers to examine potential changes to technology regulation. Age verification, parental controls, limits on targeted advertising, notification restrictions and greater transparency around recommendation algorithms are among the issues being discussed.

The California trial represents another test of its approach to product design and child safety. The company must defend its existing practices while demonstrating that its platforms can operate responsibly as governments demand stronger protections for minors.

The case could also have implications for the wider AI and social media technology ecosystem. Recommendation engines and personalised feeds have become central to the way platforms retain users. A ruling against Meta could encourage regulators to examine whether similar engagement mechanisms used across other digital services require stronger safeguards.

At the centre of the dispute is a fundamental question about technology design: when a platform uses algorithms and behavioural signals to keep users engaged, where should the line be drawn when those users are children?

The outcome could influence future product development, content recommendation systems and youth safety policies across the technology sector. It could also increase pressure on social media companies to provide greater transparency about how their algorithms work.

Categories
Corporate

Meta launches Muse Glimmer in new AI push

Meta has stepped up its challenge to the leading artificial intelligence companies with the launch of Muse Glimmer, a new open-weight AI model designed to run directly on personal computers.

The release marks a renewed push by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to make advanced AI technology more accessible to developers and users rather than keeping powerful models exclusively behind corporate-controlled systems.

Muse Glimmer is a 30-billion-parameter model built for agentic tasks, meaning it is designed to do more than simply generate answers. It can be used for tasks such as coding, research, planning and other multi-step activities that require an AI system to work through a problem and complete actions.

One of the model’s biggest selling points is its ability to operate locally. Meta says Muse Glimmer can run on a single graphics processing unit, allowing developers to use the model on consumer hardware rather than depending entirely on expensive cloud infrastructure.

That could make a difference for developers and businesses that want greater control over their AI systems. Running models locally can reduce reliance on cloud services, potentially lower costs and give users greater control over data and how an AI model is customised.

Muse Glimmer is also designed around local AI agents. These systems can perform tasks on behalf of users instead of simply responding to individual prompts. The approach is increasingly becoming a major focus of the AI industry, with companies looking at AI agents that can handle longer workflows with less human intervention.

Meta developed Glimmer using a technique known as distillation, drawing capabilities from its more powerful Muse Spark model. This allows a smaller system to retain useful capabilities while being efficient enough to run on consumer hardware.

The launch is part of a broader change in Meta’s AI strategy. Earlier this year, the company introduced Muse Spark as a more powerful model, but Glimmer represents a return to Meta’s open-weight approach. The company has also said it plans to make a more advanced version, Muse Spark 1.2, available with its weights.

Open-weight models give developers access to the underlying model parameters, allowing them to run, modify and customise AI systems within the terms of their licences. This differs from closed AI models, where users generally interact with the system through a company-controlled service or API.

Zuckerberg used the launch to make a wider argument about how AI should develop. In a lengthy essay titled The Future Is for Everyone, he argued that increasingly powerful AI should not be controlled by a small number of companies or governments.

He said broader access could give individuals more control over AI and help developers create personalised systems for education, work, entrepreneurship and other areas of daily life. His vision centres on what he calls personal superintelligence, AI systems that can be tailored to individual users rather than designed only for large organisations.

Zuckerberg also framed open-weight AI as an issue of global competition. He argued that the United States should avoid policies that place domestic AI developers at a disadvantage compared with Chinese companies developing and distributing open models.

The argument comes as the AI race between the US and China becomes increasingly competitive. Chinese companies have gained attention for producing capable models that can be offered at relatively low cost, putting pressure on US technology companies to improve both performance and accessibility.

Meta’s latest move therefore has both a technology and geopolitical dimension. The company wants developers to adopt its AI models while also arguing that a more open ecosystem can help the United States maintain its position in artificial intelligence.

The strategy is not without risks. Open-weight AI models can be customised in ways that are harder for their creators to control. Critics have raised concerns about misuse, cybersecurity and the possibility that increasingly capable models could be adapted for harmful purposes.

Meta’s approach contrasts with the more controlled strategies of companies such as OpenAI and Anthropic, which have generally kept their most powerful models behind managed services and safety systems.

The company is also investing heavily in the infrastructure needed to support its broader AI ambitions. Alongside the Muse Glimmer announcement, Meta said it would establish a $1 billion fund for communities affected by the expansion of its data-centre network.

For Meta, the challenge is not simply producing another AI model. The company is trying to establish a position in a market dominated by intense competition from OpenAI, Google, Anthropic and rapidly advancing Chinese AI developers.

Muse Glimmer gives Meta another route into that competition. Instead of focusing solely on larger models that require expensive cloud infrastructure, the company is betting on AI that can operate closer to the user.

For developers, the attraction is flexibility. For consumers, the potential benefits include lower dependence on cloud services and greater control over personal data. For Meta, wider adoption could strengthen its influence over the next generation of AI development.

 

Categories
Beyond

Meta faces $567 mn penalty in child safety case

Meta has been ordered to pay an additional $567 million in a landmark child safety case in New Mexico, bringing the social media giant’s total penalties in the case to $942 million.

The ruling by New Mexico District Judge Bryan Biedscheid adds to the $375 million civil penalty imposed earlier in the case. It also requires Meta to introduce a series of new measures aimed at protecting children and teenagers on Facebook and Instagram.

The latest judgment is one of the biggest financial penalties Meta has faced over child safety and marks a significant legal setback for the company. The judge also declared Meta’s platforms a “public nuisance”, saying the harm associated with them extends beyond individual users and affects families, schools, healthcare providers and law enforcement.

The case was brought by the state of New Mexico in 2023 after an investigation into the way Meta’s platforms handled young users and child safety. Authorities alleged that Facebook and Instagram exposed children to sexually explicit material and enabled contact between minors and sexual predators.

The case focused heavily on Meta’s recommendation systems, which determine what content and accounts users see. Prosecutors argued that the company’s algorithms could direct young users towards harmful material and interactions despite concerns about the safety of children on its platforms.

During the first phase of the trial, a New Mexico jury found that Meta had violated the state’s consumer protection laws. The company was ordered to pay $375 million in civil penalties. The latest phase dealt with measures intended to prevent further harm and address the wider consequences identified by the court.

Under the latest order, $420 million of the new $567 million amount will be used for treatment programmes and behavioural health services for children affected by social media-related harm. The remaining funds will support awareness campaigns and training for teachers and healthcare professionals.

The court has also ordered Meta to make significant changes to its platforms. Adults will be restricted from messaging minors or receiving recommendations for accounts belonging to users under 18. The company must also block the exchange of nude images involving minors and introduce a one-strike policy for adults involved in child sexual exploitation.

Other measures target how teenagers interact with Meta’s platforms. The company has been ordered to remove “like” counts for users under 18, limit push notifications during night-time and school hours and restrict minors to 90 hours of combined monthly use across Facebook and Instagram.

The ruling also calls for stronger age-verification measures and privacy protections. However, implementing age checks remains a complicated issue for technology companies because of privacy requirements and limitations under federal law.

For Meta, the financial cost is only one part of the problem. The company now faces pressure to change aspects of the design and operation of its social media platforms while dealing with growing scrutiny from regulators, lawmakers and parents.

Meta said it disagreed with the ruling and plans to appeal. The company has maintained that it is committed to protecting young users and has invested heavily in systems designed to detect and remove harmful content.

The company’s defence is likely to remain important as similar legal challenges continue to develop across the United States. The New Mexico case could become an important reference point for other lawsuits involving social media companies and allegations of harm to children.

The ruling comes as concerns over social media and youth mental health continue to grow. Researchers, parents and policymakers have increasingly questioned whether features such as algorithmic recommendations, notifications and highly personalised content can encourage excessive use among teenagers.

The New Mexico judge’s decision goes further by treating the alleged harm as a broader public issue rather than simply a matter between individual users and a technology company.

That approach could have wider implications for the social media industry. If other courts adopt similar reasoning, companies such as Meta could face greater pressure to redesign products, strengthen age verification and introduce stricter controls for minors.

Meta also faces thousands of other lawsuits in the United States involving claims related to social media and young users. Another major case involving multiple states is expected to add to the legal pressure on technology companies over child safety.

For investors and the wider technology industry, the case highlights a growing regulatory risk. Social media companies may have to spend more on content moderation, age assurance, privacy controls and child protection systems. They could also face additional financial liabilities if courts determine that existing safeguards were inadequate.

At the same time, stricter rules could influence how social media platforms generate engagement. Features designed to keep users active for longer periods could face increased scrutiny when they involve teenagers.

The New Mexico ruling therefore represents more than a financial penalty for Meta. It signals a tougher legal environment for technology companies whose platforms are widely used by children.

The company’s appeal could determine whether the judgment survives further legal review. Until then, Meta will have to prepare for the implementation of the court-ordered safeguards while continuing to defend its existing child safety measures.

For parents and child-safety advocates, the ruling provides a major legal acknowledgement of concerns surrounding social media and minors. For Meta and other technology companies, it sends a clear warning that failures in protecting young users can carry significant financial and operational consequences.

Categories
Technology

Tech giants push for open-weight AI

Some of the world’s biggest technology companies, including Nvidia, Microsoft and Meta, have joined forces to defend open-weight AI models, arguing that making powerful artificial intelligence models more accessible is essential for innovation, economic growth and maintaining the United States’ leadership in AI.

The companies, along with more than 150 technology firms, startups, research organisations and investors, have signed a joint letter urging the US government to support open-weight AI development rather than impose restrictions that could slow innovation. The appeal comes as policymakers debate tighter controls on advanced AI systems amid growing competition from China and increasing concerns over national security.

The coalition argues that open-weight AI models are becoming a crucial part of the global AI ecosystem because they allow developers, researchers and businesses to build advanced AI applications without starting from scratch. Unlike fully closed AI systems, open-weight models make their trained parameters, or “weights”, available to users, enabling them to fine-tune models for specific industries and use cases while still allowing developers to set licensing conditions.

The companies said this approach has accelerated AI innovation by lowering barriers for startups, universities and enterprises that cannot afford to build large AI models independently. They believe restricting access to open-weight models could weaken the broader AI ecosystem and reduce opportunities for smaller innovators.

The industry’s push comes at a time when the AI race is intensifying globally. Chinese AI companies have rapidly improved their capabilities by releasing powerful open-weight models, prompting concerns that limiting access to similar technologies in the United States could give overseas competitors a significant advantage.

In the letter addressed to US policymakers, the coalition warned that restrictions on open-weight AI could have unintended economic consequences. According to the signatories, hundreds of American companies currently rely on these models to develop AI-powered products and services. Limiting their availability, they argued, would hurt innovation, reduce competitiveness and place thousands of jobs at risk.

The companies also stressed that open-weight AI has become an important driver of entrepreneurship. Startups use these models to build applications across healthcare, education, financial services, software development, manufacturing and scientific research without having to invest billions of dollars in creating foundational AI models from the ground up.

Nvidia, one of the world’s leading AI chipmakers, said open-weight AI has played a key role in expanding the AI ecosystem by enabling developers to innovate more quickly. The company believes that broader access to AI technology encourages experimentation, improves software development and accelerates adoption across industries.

Microsoft echoed similar views, describing open-weight AI as an important element of responsible AI development. The company said making model weights available promotes transparency, collaboration and broader participation while allowing organisations to customise AI systems to meet local business, regulatory and cultural requirements.

According to Microsoft’s definition, open-weight AI models provide access to trained model parameters while giving developers flexibility to inspect, fine-tune and deploy the models. However, they are not the same as fully open-source software, as licensing terms and access conditions may still apply depending on the developer.

Meta, which has released several versions of its Llama AI models under an open-weight approach, has repeatedly argued that accessible AI benefits developers, researchers and businesses worldwide. The company says open-weight models encourage healthy competition and help prevent AI innovation from being controlled by only a handful of large corporations.

Supporters also argue that open-weight AI strengthens cybersecurity because researchers can independently test models, identify vulnerabilities and improve safety measures. They believe greater transparency enables faster identification of potential risks compared with closed systems, where only the original developers have full access.

The debate has intensified following rapid advances in Chinese AI, particularly after the emergence of competitive large language models that have challenged the dominance of American technology companies. Industry leaders fear that imposing stricter rules on domestic AI developers while competitors continue expanding overseas could slow US technological progress.

At the same time, governments remain concerned about the misuse of advanced AI models for cyberattacks, misinformation and other harmful activities. Policymakers are therefore trying to strike a balance between encouraging innovation and protecting national security.

The coalition acknowledged these concerns but argued that responsible governance can coexist with open-weight AI development. Instead of broad restrictions, the companies have called for targeted safeguards, responsible licensing practices and continued collaboration between governments, researchers and industry.

The letter reflects growing consensus across the technology sector that AI leadership will increasingly depend not only on powerful computing infrastructure and advanced chips but also on ensuring developers have access to high-quality AI models that can be adapted for real-world applications.

With governments worldwide preparing new AI regulations, the industry’s message is clear: maintaining access to open-weight AI models, while introducing appropriate safeguards, will be essential to keeping innovation alive and ensuring that the benefits of artificial intelligence are shared across the broader economy rather than concentrated among a few technology giants.

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Categories
Leaders

Musk unfollows Meta AI chief, sparks online buzz

A simple social media action by Elon Musk has triggered widespread discussion online after the billionaire unfollowed Meta’s Chief AI Officer Alexandr Wang on X. The move quickly caught the attention of users, many of whom linked it to the growing competition between leading artificial intelligence companies.

The speculation gained momentum after a screenshot showing Musk no longer following Wang began circulating on social media. Wang, who recently joined Meta to lead its artificial intelligence efforts, responded with a light-hearted comment: “Can’t we be friends?” His playful reply quickly went viral, with many users appreciating the humour amid increasing rivalry in the AI industry.

The exchange comes at a time when competition among major technology companies is intensifying. Meta has been aggressively investing in artificial intelligence, recruiting top researchers and expanding its AI capabilities to compete with rivals including OpenAI, xAI and Google.

Wang’s appointment at Meta has attracted significant attention across the technology industry. Before joining the company, he co-founded Scale AI and became one of the youngest self-made billionaires. Reports have also described him as one of Meta’s highest-paid executives, reflecting the company’s determination to strengthen its AI leadership.

Musk, who leads xAI while also owning X, has frequently criticised Meta’s AI strategy and openly discussed the competitive race to develop advanced artificial intelligence systems. Although he has not publicly explained why he unfollowed Wang, the move has fuelled speculation about growing tensions between the industry’s biggest players.

Social media users were quick to react, with many treating the incident as another chapter in the increasingly public rivalry among technology leaders. Others pointed out that following and unfollowing accounts on social media often carries symbolic significance, especially when it involves prominent figures in the AI sector.

Neither Musk nor Meta has issued an official statement on the matter beyond Wang’s brief response. However, the episode once again highlights how even small online actions by influential technology leaders can dominate conversations and spark debate across the digital world.

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Categories
Technology

Meta lets Instagram users block AI photo access

Meta has introduced a new option that allows Instagram users to prevent their photos from being accessed for certain artificial intelligence (AI) features, giving people more control over how their content is used on the platform.

The update comes as concerns over AI-generated content and data privacy continue to grow. With the new setting, users can choose to opt out of allowing eligible public photos to be used for Meta’s AI image-generation feature, known as Muse.

According to Meta, the feature is designed to help users better manage their privacy preferences. Those who do not want their images to be considered for AI-related purposes can disable the option through Instagram’s settings. The company says the process is simple and can be completed in a few steps without affecting normal use of the app.

The move follows increasing scrutiny of how technology companies use publicly available content to train or support AI tools. Many users have expressed concerns about personal photos being reused without their knowledge, prompting platforms to offer greater transparency and more privacy controls.

Meta has clarified that the setting is intended to provide users with a choice and improve trust in its AI services. The company says it remains committed to responsible AI development while ensuring users understand how their content may be used.

Technology experts say the update reflects a wider industry trend, with digital platforms introducing stronger privacy safeguards as AI tools become more common. Giving users the ability to opt out is expected to address concerns around consent and personal data while encouraging greater confidence in AI-powered products.

Users who wish to disable the feature can visit Instagram’s privacy and AI settings, where the relevant option is available. Once turned off, eligible images from the account will no longer be used for the specified AI image-generation purposes.

The new control arrives at a time when discussions around AI ethics, transparency and user rights are gaining momentum worldwide. As AI technology continues to evolve, experts believe giving users greater control over their personal data will remain an important part of building trust between platforms and their communities.

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Meta says child abuse ads removed

Meta Platforms has rejected allegations that it knowingly allowed or targeted advertisements linked to child sexual abuse material on its platforms, saying it has strengthened enforcement after receiving a notice from the Centre over reports involving Instagram ads.

In a detailed statement, the company described child exploitation as a “horrific crime” and reiterated its zero-tolerance policy. Meta said it had already identified and removed several policy-violating advertisements and disabled the accounts behind them before the issue was flagged by authorities. A subsequent internal review led to more ads being removed, additional accounts being disabled and links associated with the content being blocked.

Highlighting its enforcement efforts, Meta said advances in its artificial intelligence systems enabled it to automatically remove more than four million suspicious accounts globally last year, along with 36 million pieces of child exploitation content. In India alone, the company said its AI-based detection systems helped remove around 1.6 lakh accounts in the past six months for suspected child exploitation-related activity.

The company also stressed that all advertisements undergo automated and manual reviews before publication and may be reviewed again after going live. It said advertisers found violating its policies can face restrictions or permanent removal from its platforms.

The clarification comes after the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) directed Meta to immediately remove advertisements and content promoting or facilitating child sexual exploitative and abuse material, while seeking a detailed explanation from the company. The government has also asked Meta to strengthen safeguards to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Meta said it will continue working with law enforcement agencies and child safety organisations to improve detection systems and strengthen protections for children across its platforms.

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