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Meta is at a strategic crossroads, hinting at a significant pivot away from its championed open-source AI ethos.
The company is reportedly developing a new AI model, internally codenamed “Avocado,” which may become a paid-access product, a stark departure from its previous releases.
This potential shift follows the lukewarm reception of its last “open” model, Llama 4, which was marred by benchmark-gaming controversies and led CEO Mark Zuckerberg to scrap a planned “Behemoth” upgrade.
In a recent memo, Zuckerberg signalled a new caution, stating Meta must be “careful about what we choose to open source” to mitigate safety risks.
This re-evaluation coincides with a massive talent infusion and restructuring, including a new “Meta Superintelligence Labs” group and a dedicated “TBD Lab” where Zuckerberg now focuses much of his energy.
The move suggests the tech giant may be building its most advanced AI behind a paywall.
