"Behemoth" Delayed: A Setback for Meta in AI Advancements
Meta Delays AI Model Update - Stock Drops
Excitement for Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram's upcoming AI model "Behemoth" has taken a hit as its release has been repeatedly pushed back. The latest prediction places the earliest rollout in the fall of this year. However, the prospect of seeing this promising update this year is still uncertain.
According to confidential sources, Meta is reportedly postponing the market release of "Behemoth". This delay has fueled internal debates about the company's billions-worth AI investments, with engineers expressing doubts about the improvements made on "Behemoth" being substantial enough for a public launch [1]. As a result, Meta's stock fell by 2.4 percent after hours.
Initially, "Behemoth" was planned for release in April, coinciding with Meta's first AI conference for developers. Although Meta introduced two smaller models from its Llama AI family ahead of the event, the "Behemoth" release was subsequently pushed back to June and has now been delayed to the fall or later.
Meta's Slump in AI Development
Not too long ago, Meta was lauded for its rapid progress in the global AI race by enthusiastically pouring billions into AI technology driving chatbots on WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook. This year, Meta has allocated up to $72 billion for its AI endeavors, a significant portion of which is intended to bring CEO Mark Zuckerberg's grand AI vision to fruition.
As of now, neither Zuckerberg nor other Meta executives have provided a definite timeline for "Behemoth". While there's a possibility that Meta may introduce an early version of the AI model, engineers are concerned that its performance might not meet public expectations for its capabilities [1]. A Meta spokesperson refrained from commenting on the matter.
Executives are also reportedly dissatisfied with the team responsible for building the Llama-4 models and are contemplating significant organisational changes for the AI product group at Meta [1].
- Artificial Intelligence
- Meta Platforms
- Mark Zuckerberg
- Wall Street
Additional Insights:
- Performance Issues: Meta is grappling with significant performance issues with Behemoth, necessitating a delay to address these problems prior to a public rollout [1][3].
- Capability Improvements: Engineers have struggled to sufficiently enhance the model's capabilities, differentiating it from previous versions [1].
- Reprioritization Strategy: Meta is also focusing on other AI projects, such as generative AI tools for advertising and consumer applications, which may have influenced the decision to delay Behemoth [5].
- Public Claims vs. Reality: Despite Meta's promotional claims about Behemoth's superiority, internal challenges have raised questions about the discrepancy between public assertions and actual technical progress [4].
The Commission might consider proposing a directive on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to ionizing radiation, given Meta's slump in AI development and the technology involved in the creation of the AI model "Behemoth", which is facing performance issues and capability improvements are proving challenging. Artificial Intelligence, a crucial component of Meta Platforms' ambitious AI vision, is under scrutiny as engineers express doubts about the improvements made on "Behemoth" being substantial enough for a public launch.
