Meta is reportedly working on a new AI model called ‘Avocado’ and it might not be open source

Mark Zuckerberg has publicly hinted for months that he is moving away from open source AI models. Today, Meta’s latest AI pivot is starting to gain momentum. The company is reportedly working on a new model, known within Meta as “Avocado,” that could mark a major shift from its previous open-source approach to AI development.

CNBC and Bloomberg reported on Meta’s plans for “Avocado,” with both outlets saying the model “could” be proprietary rather than open source. Avocado, due out sometime in 2026, is being developed within “TBD,” a smaller group within Meta’s AI Superintelligence Labs led by Chief AI Officer Alexandr Wang, which apparently favors closed models.

It’s unclear what the lawyer might mean for Llama. Earlier this year, Zuckerberg said he expected Meta to “continue to be a leader” in open source, but would not open source “everything we do.” He also discussed security concerns related to superintelligence. Like both CNBC And Bloomberg Note that the Meta change was also prompted by issues with the release of Llama 4. The Llama 4 “Behemoth” model was delayed by several months; The New York Times reported earlier this year that Wang and other executives had “discussed abandoning” it altogether. And developers reportedly weren’t impressed with the Llama 4 models available.

There has been further upheaval in the ranks of Meta’s AI groups, as Zuckerberg has spent billions of dollars building a team dedicated to superintelligence. The company laid off several hundred workers from its Fundamental Artificial Intelligence Research (FAIR) unit. And Yann LeCun, Meta veteran and chief AI scientist, open source proponent and LLM skeptic, recently announced he was leaving the company.

That Meta can now pursue a closed AI model is a significant shift for Zuckerberg, who last year said “fuck that” about closed platforms and wrote a lengthy memo titled “Open Source AI is the way forward.” But the notoriously competitive CEO is also apparently worried about falling behind OpenAI, Google and other competitors. Meta said it plans to spend $600 billion over the next few years to fund its AI ambitions.