The head of Meta’s AI research division, Joelle Pineau, has announced her decision to step down, leaving a prominent role at Facebook and Instagram’s parent company amid fierce competition in AI development. Pineau, Meta’s vice president for AI research, stated on Tuesday that she would be departing at the end of May after eight years with the company.

"As the world undergoes major transformations, the race for AI speeds up, and Meta prepares for its next phase, it's time to make room for others to carry the work forward," she shared in a social media post. Meta has not yet responded to a request for comment, and Pineau did not disclose who would replace her.

Currently based in Montreal, where she is also a computer science professor at McGill University, Pineau has been a key advocate for Meta’s open-source AI approach, including its Llama large language model, which allows public access to its core components for modification and use. Her departure comes just before Meta's first LlamaCon AI conference, scheduled for April 29.

In 2023, Pineau took charge of Meta’s AI research division, previously known as Facebook AI Research. The group was established a decade ago by Yann LeCun, a pioneering AI researcher. LeCun stepped down as the division’s director in 2018 but continues to serve as Meta’s chief AI scientist.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from Bloomberg.