Grok 4 Release Imminent

Meta has launched Meta Superintelligence Labs (MSL), a full-stack overhaul of its AI operations aimed squarely at constructing human-level and beyond AI systems. This latest division absorbs FAIR, Llama, and product AI teams into one streamlined unit with a transparent mandate: move faster, scale larger, dominate the space.

Leading MSL is Alexandr Wang, now Chief AI Officer at Meta, fresh off a $14.3 billion deal to soak up Scale AI. He’s joined by Nat Friedman and Daniel Gross, names synonymous with deep AI and startup firepower.

Zuckerberg isn’t hiding the ambition: Meta is raising $29 billion for next-gen compute and data centers. While critics call the pursuit of “superintelligence” speculative, Meta is treating it as a matter of when, not if. With OpenAI and Google under pressure to retain top talent and keep pace, Meta’s daring consolidation marks a decisive escalation within the AI arms race. Read more.

Apple is recalibrating its AI strategy, shifting from insular development to selective integration. The corporate is reportedly in advanced discussions to license large language models from OpenAI and Anthropic to power an upgraded Siri offering capabilities that Apple’s in-house systems have yet to match. These models, including iterations of ChatGPT and Claude, would run on Apple’s own infrastructure, allowing for deeper OS-level integration without fully relinquishing control. Licensing means Apple skips the years-long grind of model training and tuning, but at the price of depending on rivals for core functionality.

That urgency extends to Apple’s other major bet: spatial computing. The corporate is developing not less than seven head-worn devices, including three Vision headsets and 4 smart glasses, in response to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. A lighter, cheaper Vision Air is ready for 2027, shedding over 40% in weight and value by utilizing iPhone-grade chips and scaled-back materials. Apple’s first smart glasses will drop displays entirely, counting on AI, voice, audio, and gesture input for a more ambient, low-profile experience. A second-gen Vision Pro and full-color XR glasses are planned for 2028, continuing Apple’s push to guide in mixed reality hardware. Read more.

Silicon Valley’s AI talent war is heating up, and it’s not subtle. Researcher salaries have jumped into the stratosphere, with top-tier engineers now commanding $500,000 to $2 million annually. The arms race for brains is being bankrolled by billions in fresh capital.

One of the crucial aggressive latest players is Pondering Machines Lab (TML), a stealth startup founded in early 2025 by former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati. In response to federal H-1B filings, TML offers base salaries of $450,000 to $500,000, well above the averages at OpenAI ($292,115) and Anthropic ($387,500). These salaries don’t include potential equity or sign-on bonuses.

TML is currently focused on internal development, having paused latest applications. The corporate positions itself as constructing AI that’s more interpretable, customizable, and capable.