Meta moves metaverse executive to AI role after layoffs

Meta has shifted its top metaverse executive, Vishal Shah, to lead AI product in its Superintelligence Labs group after cutting about 600 jobs in its AI division last week.

Shah, who previously led metaverse projects and product at Instagram, will now oversee the integration of AI technologies, including the Meta AI chatbot, across the company’s apps and devices.

Gabe Aul, formerly head of product for Meta Horizon, will take over all metaverse-related responsibilities, while Ryan Cairns will continue to manage Quest VR hardware and Meta OS, now reporting directly to CTO Andrew Bosworth.

CEO Mark Zuckerberg has made AI a priority for Meta, directing significant investment into AI infrastructure and research to compete with firms like OpenAI and Google.

Meta is set to report Q3 earnings, with AI expected to be a key topic in the upcoming investor call.

🔗 Source: Bloomberg

🧠 Food for thought

Implications, context, and why it matters.

Shah’s AI shift hints at a push to ship and monetize faster

Shah moved from the metaverse to Superintelligence Labs (Meta’s internal group focused on advanced AI product development) to push features across Meta’s apps faster 1. His Instagram product track record can speed chatbot rollouts in Facebook and WhatsApp, plus the photo app.
Meta cut 600 roles in AI infrastructure and Fundamental AI Research (FAIR) 2. TBD Labs’ summer hires stayed 2. Leaders leaned into user tools after Llama 4 (a fourth-generation version of Meta’s Llama large language model) drew a cool reception in April 2025, to help justify higher AI spend into 2026 2.

Startups can hire from Meta’s AI cuts, with openings among FAIR researchers plus infrastructure engineers

October cuts hit AI infrastructure units (teams that build plus operate the core computing platforms for AI) and FAIR 2. Meta put some employees on a non-working notice period through November 21 with 16 weeks’ pay plus two weeks per completed year of service, minus that notice 2, so startups get about a month to pitch.
Meta’s buy-and-liquidate-staff pattern after the $14.3 billion Scale AI deal 2 (Scale AI focuses on data infrastructure plus labeling) matches a common big tech move where overlapping roles get cut 3. Meta says it is helping most affected people find new roles through an expedited internal hiring process 4. Recruit former FAIR along with infrastructure teams who know large-scale AI systems.