Bowen Zhang is an artificial intelligence researcher recognized for his contributions to multimodal AI. He became a notable figure in the technology industry in July 2025, following his departure from Apple Inc. to join Meta Platforms Inc.'s specialized AI research division, Meta Superintelligence Labs. ^{[1] [2]}

Career

Apple Inc.

During his tenure at Apple Inc., Bowen Zhang was a key researcher specializing in multimodal artificial intelligence. He was an integral member of the company's Apple foundation models (AFM) group, a team of several dozen specialists responsible for developing the core technology behind Apple's AI platform, which includes the features marketed as Apple Intelligence. Zhang's contributions were focused on the foundational models that form the basis of Apple's generative AI efforts. ^{[1] [2]}

Zhang's departure occurred during a period of reported internal uncertainty within Apple's AI division. Around the time of his exit, reports indicated that Apple was considering a significant strategic shift for its Siri voice assistant, exploring the use of third-party large language models from companies like OpenAI (ChatGPT) or Anthropic (Claude) instead of relying solely on its in-house AFM models. This exploration of external options was said to have triggered unease among members of the AFM team, contributing to a challenging environment for talent retention. ^[3]

Meta Platforms

In late July 2025, Zhang resigned from Apple to join Meta Platforms Inc. At Meta, he became part of the Meta Superintelligence Labs (MSL), a research unit dedicated to the development of artificial intelligence intended to surpass human intelligence. His move was widely reported as part of a broader, aggressive talent acquisition strategy by Meta to bolster its AI capabilities amid intense industry competition. ^[1]

Zhang's departure was particularly significant as he was the fourth AI researcher to move from Apple to Meta's MSL team within a one-month period in the summer of 2025. This trend highlighted the competitive landscape for top-tier AI talent among technology giants. The other researchers who made the same transition from Apple's AI division to Meta's MSL during this time were:

• Ruoming Pang, the former head of Apple's foundational models team, whose hiring by Meta was reportedly accompanied by a compensation package valued at $200 million.
• Tom Gunter, a senior large language model researcher.
• Mark Lee, another member of the AFM group.

This recruitment effort by Meta was reportedly backed by substantial compensation packages. In contrast, Apple's efforts to retain its AI talent were described as "marginally increasing" employee pay, a measure that reportedly paled in comparison to the lucrative offers from rival firms. ^{[2] [3]}