Meta Unveils "TBD Lab" with Dozens of AI Researchers

Meta's Chief Financial Officer Susan Li shared new details about the company's artificial intelligence strategy at the Goldman Sachs Communacopia and Technology conference on Tuesday, revealing that the TBD Lab consists of "several dozen" researchers and engineers focused on developing next-generation models,  according to Reuters.

Addressing investors, Li explained that the lab's name, TBD (short for "to be determined"), was initially a placeholder but "stuck" because it aptly reflects the uncertainty surrounding many of the team's upcoming tasks. "We see it as a fairly small group—several dozen highly talented individuals," Li said during the conference.

Strategic Focus on Cutting-Edge AI Technologies

The TBD Lab, an abbreviation for "to be determined," is focused on advancing AI models to a leading edge within the next one to two years, according to Li. This timeline aligns with Meta's broader ambitions to achieve what CEO Mark Zuckerberg calls "personal superintelligence"—AI systems capable of deeply understanding users and helping them achieve their goals.

The lab operates as part of a larger reorganization of Meta's Superintelligence Labs, as reported by The Information last month. According to the report, the AI division will be split into four distinct groups: TBD Lab, a product team including the Meta AI assistant, an infrastructure team, and the Fundamental AI Research Lab (FAIR), which focuses on long-term research.