In the war of poaching, Meta lost one of the most experienced AI leaders as Chaya Nayak, an Indian Origin executive who spent nearly a decade at the company. Her move is the latest in the high-profile exit from Mark Zuckerberg's AI division.
Nayak announced her departure in a reflexive LinkedIn post, saying, “I remember the first few weeks on Facebook like yesterday. I joined in to help with my efforts to show how data and AI/ML can benefit the world.
Who is Chaya Nayak?
During a decade-long stint, Nayak worked on a project to apply data and AI to real-world challenges. She led the Facebook Open Research and Transparency (Fort) team in the data and played a key role in the data that follows.
Her work has also expanded to disaster maps, supporting communities in crisis and was directly involved in research into the impact of meta on democracy, including efforts during the 2020 US election.
More recently, Nayak has shifted focus to AI, contributing to the development of three generations of llamas and meta AI. “For the past two or five years I've worked on genai, built three generations of llamas and meta AI, solving tough problems at incredible speeds, and imagine what the next wave of AI would mean for society,” she said.
Looking back at her growth, she said, “I grew as a leader along the way. When things didn't go as planned, I followed bold ideas and learned resilience boldly.
Nayak is currently joining Openai and working with Irina Kofman on a special initiative. Describing her next move, she writes: “Today, I am participating in Openai to collaborate with Irina Kofman on a special initiative. I am exploring new opportunities in the frontier of AI. It feels like the perfect next chapter to incorporate everything I have learned and pour it into work that will help me define what comes next in technology and society.”
She signed off her post with a line of optimism: “The journey isn't over. I'm just turning the page.”
Meta's team is exhausted
Nayak's departure follows a series of AI experts walking from the meta in recent months. Wired reported that at least three employees at Meta's Superintelligence Labs (MSL) were immediately lingered. Rishabh Agarwal, Avi Verma and Ethan Knight are all leaving, with Verma and Knight currently heading for Openai.
Agarwal's resignation frowned upon considering his seven-figure salary. He explained in a social media post that leaving the meta was a “stricken decision” but that he “feels pulling to take a different kind of risk.”
As AI Talent War gets hot, Nayak's move emphasizes Openai continues to separate top researchers from their rivals. In the case of Meta, trading these heavyweights is not an easy task.
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