Yann LeCun Charts New Path with Advanced AI Initiative Targeting €500 Million

Yann LeCun, the legendary AI scientist and former chief scientist at Meta, is venturing into entrepreneurship with a bold new ambition. The Turing Award laureate is establishing Advanced Machine Intelligence Labs (AMI Labs), aiming to secure €500 million in funding with an anticipated valuation reaching €3 billion. The initiative marks a significant moment in AI development, bringing one of the field’s most respected figures into the startup ecosystem.

The Visionary Behind the New Venture

Yann LeCun brings unparalleled credibility to AMI Labs. As a pioneer in deep learning and a recipient of the Turing Award—computing’s highest honor—LeCun has spent decades shaping how machines understand and learn from data. Now transitioning from Meta’s research division, he’s channeling this expertise into building practical AI systems with real-world applications. Alex LeBrun, founder of healthcare AI company Nabla, will lead AMI Labs as CEO, combining technical vision with operational leadership.

Targeting Robotics and Beyond

AMI Labs’ core mission centers on developing AI systems capable of comprehending the physical world. Rather than focusing solely on language models or abstract computation, the company is positioning itself at the intersection of artificial intelligence and embodied intelligence. Applications span robotics, autonomous transportation, and other domains requiring machines to interact meaningfully with their environment. This strategic focus reflects where Yann LeCun believes the next frontier of AI innovation lies.

Meta’s Role: Partnership Over Investment

Interestingly, while Meta maintains strong ties to the venture through technical collaboration agreements, the social media giant will not serve as an equity investor. This distinction is telling—Meta supports the initiative through knowledge-sharing and technical resources while allowing Yann LeCun and his team full autonomy. The arrangement provides AMI Labs with institutional backing without corporate constraints, a structure that may appeal to other institutional investors eyeing the €500 million raise.