Yann LeCun, a pioneering figure in artificial intelligence and recipient of the Turing Award, is preparing to leave Meta to pursue his own startup focused on a groundbreaking AI concept known as “world models.” According to reports, the French-American scientist has informed colleagues of his upcoming departure and is already discussing funding options for his new venture.

This move follows a strategic shift at Meta, where CEO Mark Zuckerberg has restructured AI operations after acknowledging the company’s lag behind competitors like OpenAI and Google. LeCun’s focus on “world models” aims to create AI systems capable of developing an internal understanding of the physical environment by analyzing video and spatial data, rather than relying solely on text-based learning.

Unlike current large language models that predict subsequent data segments, world models would simulate causal relationships, physics, and enable machines to reason more like living beings. Experts suggest that achieving fully functional world models could take a decade or more. While some AI researchers believe transformer models have already begun to capture aspects of physical understanding, evidence remains inconclusive, indicating that current systems primarily excel at pattern recognition rather than true comprehension of the physical world.

David Nield

Dave is a freelance tech journalist with over 20 years covering gadgets, apps, and the web. From Stockport, England, he covers news, features, and reviews for TechRadar, focusing on phones, tablets, and wearables. He ensures top weekend breaking news and has bylines at Gizmodo, T3, PopSci, and others. He edited PC Explorer and The Hardware Handbook for years. Read me on x.com or linkedin.