Meta Poaches Salesforce CEO of AI, Clara Shih, to Build AI Business Tools
Meta appointed Salesforce’s CEO of AI, Clara Shih, to lead its Business AI product group in developing AI tools for businesses using Meta’s platforms. According to news shared in a LinkedIn post by Shih and confirmed in a statement by Meta, the new organization will apply Meta’s Llama models in an effort to make AI accessible to businesses.
The new Meta product unit will develop tools for businesses that create content, advertise, or interact with customers through its current apps, including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. These AI offerings will use Meta’s Llama large language models to enhance its platforms and help promote deeper customer relationships for the businesses utilizing them.
A New Development For Meta
Meta’s new unit will use Llama models to create new business-facing AI tools for its apps, likely involving AI-generated advertising and content creation. This move supports Meta’s objectives as an advertising company by investing in businesses that advertise through its platforms. Ad spending is Meta’s primary source of earnings, having generated over $131 billion in ad revenues in 2023.
The new unit’s development aligns with Meta’s AI ambitions, promoting ad growth through new AI business solutions to strengthen the app’s marketing capabilities. With the company recently rolling out more AI advancements like AI-generated photos and Meta’s AI chatbot, AI business tools feel like a logical next step.
Although Meta describes its AI as “open source,” it doesn’t comply with the new Open Source Initiative definition of open source AI, as Meta places considerable restrictions on its usage. For instance, Llama 3.2 requires users to agree to an acceptable use policy, excludes use by governments in national security roles without Meta’s permission, and requires businesses offering services to more than 700 million monthly active users to obtain an additional license.
It’s currently unknown whether Meta will continue providing their AI tools for free to promote ad spending or sell them as separate offerings. However, as Meta licenses its AI models separately, it could alter future model requirements to grant the company more control over how businesses can use the software or charge for specific usage licenses.
Shih To Lead New Meta Initiative
Shih has considerable experience with AI companies, having worked on Salesforce’s generative AI platform and founded the AI-driven sales social network Hearsay Social. In her LinkedIn post, Shih anticipates a successful future in her new role as VP of Business AI at Meta.
“Our vision for this new product group is to make cutting-edge AI accessible to every business,” she wrote, “empowering all to find success and own their future in the AI era.”
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