{"id":475334,"date":"2026-03-14T14:07:14","date_gmt":"2026-03-14T14:07:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/475334\/"},"modified":"2026-03-14T14:07:14","modified_gmt":"2026-03-14T14:07:14","slug":"meta-delays-avocado-ai-model-again-might-even-license-gemini-from-google","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/475334\/","title":{"rendered":"Meta Delays “Avocado” AI Model Again, Might Even License Gemini from Google"},"content":{"rendered":"

Meta has postponed the release of its new AI model with the codename \u201cAvocado\u201d once again. Originally planned for March 2026, the market launch is now expected at the earliest in May 2026. The reason for the delay is sobering: the model cannot keep up with the leading AI offerings from competitors.<\/p>\n

Performance deficits compared to competitors<\/p>\n

Internal tests have shown that \u201cAvocado\u201d lags behind the latest models from Google, OpenAI, and Anthropic in crucial areas. Particularly in the disciplines of logical reasoning, software development, and \u201cagentic\u201d behavior\u2014that is, the ability to autonomously plan and execute complex tasks\u2014Meta\u2019s model performs worse.<\/p>\n

While \u201cAvocado\u201d does outperform Meta\u2019s earlier AI models and Google\u2019s Gemini 2.5, it reportedly stands no chance against Gemini 3.0. This performance gap weighs all the more heavily given that Meta is investing between 115 and 135 billion US dollars in artificial intelligence this year, including the development of its own chips.<\/p>\n

Consideration of a Google license<\/p>\n

The situation is so precarious that Meta\u2019s AI division leadership has even discussed the possibility of temporarily licensing Google\u2019s Gemini to support its own AI products. While a final decision is still pending, the mere fact that this option is being discussed shows the urgency of the situation.<\/p>\n

Strategic shift: from open source to proprietary models<\/p>\n

The delay of \u201cAvocado\u201d is symptomatic of a fundamental shift in Meta\u2019s AI strategy. Under CEO Mark Zuckerberg\u2019s clear mandate to pursue \u201csuperintelligence\u201d (AGI), there are increasing signs that Meta is moving away from its long-standing open-source approach and pivoting toward proprietary large language models.<\/p>\n

\u201cAvocado\u201d itself is expected to be developed as a proprietary model, representing a clear departure from Meta\u2019s previous open-source strategy for the Llama models. This reversal is being driven internally above all by Alexandr Wang, founder of Scale AI, whom Meta brought into the company in June 2025 through a massive investment of 14.3 billion dollars and appointed as Chief AI Officer.<\/p>\n

Internal turbulence and personnel upheaval<\/p>\n

The strategic shift is accompanied by significant internal restructuring. In the course of focusing on \u201csuperintelligence,\u201d hundreds of employees from the traditional FAIR unit (Fundamental Artificial Intelligence Research) were laid off. Even more dramatically, longtime Chief AI Scientist and open-source advocate Yann LeCun announced his departure.<\/p>\n

LeCun has since founded his own startup, AMI Labs, in Paris, which develops world models and recently raised a billion dollars in capital. Rather than betting on large language models, LeCun is now building world models that don\u2019t reproduce text but can understand physics and other relationships.<\/p>\n

Zuckerberg\u2019s change of heart<\/p>\n

Particularly noteworthy is Mark Zuckerberg\u2019s own reversal. The Meta CEO, who not long ago rejected closed platforms with a clear \u201cfuck that\u201d and authored a memorandum titled \u201cOpen Source AI is the Path Forward,\u201d appears to be revising his stance.<\/p>\n

Intense concern about falling behind OpenAI and Google, along with increasingly complex security concerns in the context of AGI development, are driving this pragmatic shift. Added to this is economic pressure: the new \u201cAvocado\u201d model is reportedly meant to generate revenue, a goal that can only be achieved with a paid, proprietary model.<\/p>\n

Further models in the pipeline<\/p>\n

Meta is working in parallel on additional AI models. \u201cMango\u201d is intended to enable high-resolution image and video generation and compete with rivals like OpenAI\u2019s Sora. \u201cWatermelon\u201d is already planned as a successor to \u201cAvocado.\u201d But even the best Llama 4 model, referred to as \u201cBehemoth,\u201d has been delayed for months.<\/p>\n

Freemium strategy as likely future model<\/p>\n

It is quite possible that Meta will pursue a freemium strategy in the future: the latest, most powerful AI models would be offered as closed source via API for a fee, while older, weaker models would be made freely available via open source. Similar strategies have already been established by Google and OpenAI.<\/p>\n

The delay of \u201cAvocado\u201d thus marks not only a technical setback but symbolizes a fundamental shift in Meta\u2019s AI philosophy: from open-source pioneer to commercial competitor in the race for artificial superintelligence.<\/p>\n

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