Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, is quietly building a new elite artificial intelligence (AI) team with a very clear goal to make its social platforms more engaging and harder for users to leave. According to a Business Insider report, the social media giant has reorganised part of its AI work and created a new unit called MRS Research specifically focused on improving the algorithms that decide what people see on their feeds.
This means the AI will be used to tailor content so that users spend more time on Facebook and Instagram, and see ads that feel more relevant to them.
What is the new Meta MRS research team’s role?
The Business Insider report notes that theMRS Research teamwill oversee the deployment of new AI technology in a manner that can enhance user engagement across the platforms.
TikTok’s former executive, Yang Song, will lead Meta’s MRS Research team, the report suggested.
Moreover, he and his team are tasked with pushing AI deeper into Meta’s core systems, especially the tools that decide which posts, videos, and reels show up first in your feed. By bringing in experts like Song from outside the company, Meta is tapping into talent that has direct experience with short‑form content and engagement strategies.
Other top AI researchers from tech giants such as Amazon, OpenAI, and Google have also joined the division, signalling Meta’s serious investment in this field.
Why does this matter in the AI race?
Meta’s new team isn’t just thinking about algorithms, it’s focussing on the company’s wider bid to compete in the global AI race.
Over the past year, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been clear that artificial intelligence is a major priority for the company’s future. Other parts of Meta are also shifting toward AI‑driven development, with new internal initiatives asking engineers to use AI tools in their work, and reshaping teams around AI functions.
This move comes as the social media industry faces scrutiny over how algorithms affect user behaviour, attention, and well‑being. By investing heavily in AI expertise and bringing in leaders from outside its own ranks, Meta hopes to stay ahead of rivals and keep its platforms compelling and profitable in a rapidly changing digital world.