Andrew Tulloch, an AI researcher at Meta who previously worked at Thinking Machine Labs and drew attention as one of the highest-paid employees in the tech industry, is leaving the company, according to a person briefed on the matter. Tulloch’s name has circulated in industry coverage partly because of those compensation reports.
According to the source, Tulloch postponed his departure until Meta successfully launched its new family of open-source AI models and the AI assistant Muse; Muse was announced on Tuesday. Tulloch worked in Meta’s TBD lab, a central element of CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s ambitious AI strategy, which is led by Alexandr Wang, the founder of Scale AI.
It is not clear from the available information why Tulloch decided to leave, nor whether he intends to continue his AI research at another company. He could not immediately be reached for comment.
Why this matters
Tulloch’s exit is notable because the TBD lab plays a prominent role in Meta’s AI efforts, and departures from that group can affect ongoing projects. That he remained through the rollout of Meta’s new models and Muse suggests he delayed leaving until a major company milestone was reached, but the specific reasons and his future plans remain unknown.
