Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) shares fell 1.5% in U.S. premarket trading on Tuesday after reports surfaced that Yann LeCun, the company’s chief AI scientist and a central figure in its artificial intelligence strategy, is preparing to leave the company.

According to the Financial Times, LeCun is in the early stages of raising funds for a new AI-focused venture, signaling the end of an era for Meta’s research division. His potential departure comes at a pivotal time, as the company ramps up investments in AI integration across its products and services.

LeCun joined Meta (then Facebook) in 2013 and is widely regarded as a pioneer in deep learning, a foundational technology for modern artificial intelligence. His exit could create a leadership gap in Meta’s AI division, particularly as the company faces mounting competition from OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic in the race to develop next-generation AI systems.

The news follows Meta’s recent rollout of AI-driven tools and assistants across its platforms — including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp — as part of CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s strategy to position the company as a major AI innovator.

Meta has not yet commented publicly on reports of LeCun’s plans to leave.

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