Yann LeCun Launches Advanced Machine Intelligence Labs with €500M Funding Target

liquidation_surfer · 2026-01-21T16:07:13+00:00

Yann LeCun is launching Advanced Machine Intelligence Labs (AMI Labs) in January 2026, targeting €500 million in funding and a €3 billion valuation. With a focus on practical AI applications, LeCun teams up with Alex LeBrun as CEO, while maintaining a strategic collaboration with Meta.

liquidation_surfer

2026-01-21 16:07:13

Abstract generation in progress

The AI research community is buzzing with news of Yann LeCun’s ambitious new venture. The Turing Award winner and former chief AI scientist at Meta is establishing Advanced Machine Intelligence Labs (AMI Labs), set to debut this month in January 2026. Early-stage funding discussions are targeting a €500 million investment round, with the startup valued at €3 billion—a remarkable valuation that reflects investor confidence in Yann LeCun’s vision.

Building on Decades of AI Leadership

Yann LeCun’s transition from Meta to founding his own research organization marks a significant shift in the AI landscape. As one of the pioneering figures in deep learning, LeCun brings decades of expertise to AMI Labs. The company’s core mission revolves around developing AI systems capable of understanding the physical world—a capability that could revolutionize robotics, autonomous transportation, and other emerging fields. This represents a more focused approach compared to broad-based AI research, targeting practical applications in real-world scenarios.

Team and Strategic Leadership

Alex LeBrun, founder of Nabla, will serve as CEO of Advanced Machine Intelligence Labs, bringing entrepreneurial acumen to complement Yann LeCun’s technical leadership. The partnership between these two figures suggests a balanced approach combining research excellence with operational expertise. This team structure aims to translate cutting-edge AI research into scalable business outcomes.

Meta’s Collaborative Approach

While Meta will not participate as an investor in the funding round, the company has committed to establishing a technical collaboration with AMI Labs. This arrangement allows Meta to benefit from advanced AI research while maintaining independence and avoiding direct equity involvement. For Yann LeCun, this partnership ensures continued connection with Meta’s resources and infrastructure, supporting the research agenda without constraining the new venture’s autonomy. This model of strategic collaboration without investment ownership has become increasingly common among major tech companies seeking to maintain relationships with groundbreaking research initiatives.

The launch of AMI Labs represents an important chapter in advancing AI capabilities for understanding and interacting with the physical world—an area where Yann LeCun’s contributions have been foundational to the field’s development.

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