Remember when Zuckerberg was so confident about the metaverse that he changed the company name to Meta? That $36 billion bet is now forcing them to beg Google and OpenAI for AI help because they can't build competitive models internally.
While OpenAI was perfecting ChatGPT and Google was developing Gemini, Meta was pouring billions into VR headsets that gave people motion sickness. Now Llama 3 can't compete with real AI models, so Zuckerberg has to crawl to his competitors and ask for licensing deals.
The "Superintelligence Labs" (yes, that's what they actually call their AI division) is desperately trying to license Gemini and GPT technology because building their own competitive AI while simultaneously funding metaverse fantasies was impossible.
Key Partnership Details:
- Google Integration: Potential use of Gemini models in Meta AI applications
- OpenAI Collaboration: Integration of GPT technology across Meta platforms
- Timeline: Intended as temporary measures while Llama 5 develops
- Platform Scope: Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Threads integration planned
Panic Spending $72 Billion to Fix the Metaverse Mistake
Meta's throwing $66-72 billion at AI infrastructure this year, plus a $10+ billion cloud deal with Google. That's more than most countries' GDP, all because Zuckerberg wasted years chasing VR fantasies while his competitors built useful AI.
Think about this insanity: Meta is paying Google billions for cloud infrastructure AND trying to license Google's AI models AND competing against Google in every other area. That's not strategy - that's what happens when you realize you've fucked up so badly that begging your enemies is the only option left.
The Humiliation Is Actually Worse Than It Looks
Meta already uses Anthropic's Claude for internal coding, which means they can't even build coding assistants for their own developers. Now they're approaching Google and OpenAI - their biggest platform competitors - to license the AI technology they should've been developing instead of metaverse bullshit.
This isn't "smart partnering" - it's what desperation looks like at scale. Zuckerberg spent so much money on cartoon avatars that he now has to buy AI technology from companies actively trying to kill Facebook and Instagram. The same executives who mocked Google+ and tried to clone TikTok are now writing checks to OpenAI because they can't build competitive AI internally.
Meta's situation is simple: they bet wrong, they're behind, and now they're paying their competitors billions while hoping Llama 5 somehow catches up. That's not innovation - that's what happens when you let ego drive technical decisions.