Meghan Bobrowsky
@meghanb.bsky.social
Reporter covering technology @WSJ. Get in touch: meghan.bobrowsky@wsj.com or meghan.99 on Signal
Happy new year! For my first story in 2026, I looked at how Meta's Reels grew to a $50 billion run rate in 2025.
2020: Meta launches Reels
2022: Users spend 10x more time on TikTok
2023-25: IG promotes OG content/pays creators to post, algorithm gets better
2026: Now TV
www.wsj.com/tech/meta-re...
2020: Meta launches Reels
2022: Users spend 10x more time on TikTok
2023-25: IG promotes OG content/pays creators to post, algorithm gets better
2026: Now TV
www.wsj.com/tech/meta-re...
How Meta’s Reels Became a $50 Billion Business
Once a TikTok wannabe, Instagram’s video feature is now a hit with users and advertisers. Can it make the leap to television?
www.wsj.com
January 1, 2026 at 6:36 PM
Happy new year! For my first story in 2026, I looked at how Meta's Reels grew to a $50 billion run rate in 2025.
2020: Meta launches Reels
2022: Users spend 10x more time on TikTok
2023-25: IG promotes OG content/pays creators to post, algorithm gets better
2026: Now TV
www.wsj.com/tech/meta-re...
2020: Meta launches Reels
2022: Users spend 10x more time on TikTok
2023-25: IG promotes OG content/pays creators to post, algorithm gets better
2026: Now TV
www.wsj.com/tech/meta-re...
Scoop: OpenAI ended a policy earlier this week that required employees to work at the company for six months before their equity vested.
A few months ago, xAI shortened their waiting period, known as a "vesting cliff" from 12 months to 6.
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/open...
A few months ago, xAI shortened their waiting period, known as a "vesting cliff" from 12 months to 6.
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/open...
Exclusive | OpenAI Ends ‘Vesting Cliff’ for New Employees in Compensation-Policy Change
The ChatGPT maker and its competitor xAI have relaxed restrictions meant to keep new hires from leaving in the midst of a fierce talent war
www.wsj.com
December 13, 2025 at 11:09 PM
Scoop: OpenAI ended a policy earlier this week that required employees to work at the company for six months before their equity vested.
A few months ago, xAI shortened their waiting period, known as a "vesting cliff" from 12 months to 6.
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/open...
A few months ago, xAI shortened their waiting period, known as a "vesting cliff" from 12 months to 6.
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/open...
Reposted by Meghan Bobrowsky
LeCun: “I’ve been not making friends in various corners of Silicon Valley, including at Meta, saying that within three to five years, this [world models, not LLMs] will be the dominant model for AI architectures, and nobody in their right mind would use LLMs of the type that we have today."
He’s Been Right About AI for 40 Years. Now He Thinks Everyone Is Wrong.
Yann LeCun invented many fundamental components of modern AI. Now he’s convinced most in his field have been led astray by the siren song of large language models.
www.wsj.com
November 15, 2025 at 12:01 PM
LeCun: “I’ve been not making friends in various corners of Silicon Valley, including at Meta, saying that within three to five years, this [world models, not LLMs] will be the dominant model for AI architectures, and nobody in their right mind would use LLMs of the type that we have today."
Meta has been on a pop-up shop spree, opening stores in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Burlingame & most recently NYC on Friday.
I interviewed Meta’s creative director about the strategy behind the stores, & we sent a photographer to capture the vibes. For @wsj.com
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/meta...
I interviewed Meta’s creative director about the strategy behind the stores, & we sent a photographer to capture the vibes. For @wsj.com
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/meta...
November 15, 2025 at 2:57 PM
Meta has been on a pop-up shop spree, opening stores in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Burlingame & most recently NYC on Friday.
I interviewed Meta’s creative director about the strategy behind the stores, & we sent a photographer to capture the vibes. For @wsj.com
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/meta...
I interviewed Meta’s creative director about the strategy behind the stores, & we sent a photographer to capture the vibes. For @wsj.com
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/meta...
My profile for the WSJ’s weekend paper about Yann LeCun, who has been in the news quite a bit this week!
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/yann...
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/yann...
He’s Been Right About AI for 40 Years. Now He Thinks Everyone Is Wrong.
Yann LeCun invented many fundamental components of modern AI. Now he’s convinced most in his field have been led astray by the siren song of large language models.
www.wsj.com
November 15, 2025 at 2:13 AM
My profile for the WSJ’s weekend paper about Yann LeCun, who has been in the news quite a bit this week!
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/yann...
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/yann...
Reposted by Meghan Bobrowsky
Meta Cuts 600 Jobs in AI Division
By Meghan Bobrowsky
The layoffs will affect legacy teams but not the company’s new TBD Lab unit. @meghanb.bsky.social
Gift link!
By Meghan Bobrowsky
The layoffs will affect legacy teams but not the company’s new TBD Lab unit. @meghanb.bsky.social
Gift link!
Meta Cuts 600 Jobs in AI Division
The layoffs will affect legacy teams but not the company’s new TBD Lab unit.
www.wsj.com
October 22, 2025 at 7:37 PM
Meta Cuts 600 Jobs in AI Division
By Meghan Bobrowsky
The layoffs will affect legacy teams but not the company’s new TBD Lab unit. @meghanb.bsky.social
Gift link!
By Meghan Bobrowsky
The layoffs will affect legacy teams but not the company’s new TBD Lab unit. @meghanb.bsky.social
Gift link!
Reposted by Meghan Bobrowsky
NEW: Elon Musk’s father, Errol Musk, has been accused by family members of sexually abusing five of his children and stepchildren. Elon has repeatedly had to intervene, a secret that’s spanned generations. Our months-long investigation www.nytimes.com/2025/09/23/w...
Elon Musk’s Father Accused of Child Sexual Abuse
www.nytimes.com
September 23, 2025 at 2:24 PM
NEW: Elon Musk’s father, Errol Musk, has been accused by family members of sexually abusing five of his children and stepchildren. Elon has repeatedly had to intervene, a secret that’s spanned generations. Our months-long investigation www.nytimes.com/2025/09/23/w...
Reposted by Meghan Bobrowsky
Meta froze hiring in its AI division last week with sources saying exceptions need Alexandr Wang's permission; the duration of the freeze remains unclear (Meghan Bobrowsky/Wall Street Journal)
Main Link | Techmeme Permalink
Main Link | Techmeme Permalink
August 21, 2025 at 1:21 AM
Meta froze hiring in its AI division last week with sources saying exceptions need Alexandr Wang's permission; the duration of the freeze remains unclear (Meghan Bobrowsky/Wall Street Journal)
Main Link | Techmeme Permalink
Main Link | Techmeme Permalink
Scoop: Meta implemented a hiring freeze in its AI division last week after spending months getting 50-plus new researchers & engineers to join the company.
The freeze coincides w/ Meta's broader restructuring efforts & also prohibits current staff from switching teams.
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/meta...
The freeze coincides w/ Meta's broader restructuring efforts & also prohibits current staff from switching teams.
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/meta...
Exclusive | Meta Freezes AI Hiring After Blockbuster Spending Spree
A hiring freeze at Meta Platforms’ artificial-intelligence operations is in effect after investors voiced concerns about the scale of Meta’s stock-based compensation costs.
www.wsj.com
August 21, 2025 at 1:11 AM
Scoop: Meta implemented a hiring freeze in its AI division last week after spending months getting 50-plus new researchers & engineers to join the company.
The freeze coincides w/ Meta's broader restructuring efforts & also prohibits current staff from switching teams.
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/meta...
The freeze coincides w/ Meta's broader restructuring efforts & also prohibits current staff from switching teams.
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/meta...
Scoop: Meta’s new superintelligence lab has a name—TBD Lab—and a new project developing the next Llama model.
More details from me here:
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/meta...
More details from me here:
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/meta...
Exclusive | Meet TBD Lab, Meta’s Superintelligence SWAT Team
The new group is spearheading work on the latest version of Llama, the large language model that is Meta’s answer to ChatGPT.
www.wsj.com
August 8, 2025 at 2:17 AM
Scoop: Meta’s new superintelligence lab has a name—TBD Lab—and a new project developing the next Llama model.
More details from me here:
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/meta...
More details from me here:
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/meta...
Reposted by Meghan Bobrowsky
Sources: TBD Lab, a team under Meta Superintelligence Labs that houses many researchers poached from rival labs, is spearheading work on Llama's newest version (Meghan Bobrowsky/Wall Street Journal)
Main Link | Techmeme Permalink
Main Link | Techmeme Permalink
August 8, 2025 at 2:10 AM
Sources: TBD Lab, a team under Meta Superintelligence Labs that houses many researchers poached from rival labs, is spearheading work on Llama's newest version (Meghan Bobrowsky/Wall Street Journal)
Main Link | Techmeme Permalink
Main Link | Techmeme Permalink
Happy pseudo Friday, here’s me on The Journal podcast talking about Meta’s $100 million offers to AI researchers
open.spotify.com/episode/0WGM...
open.spotify.com/episode/0WGM...
Why Meta Is Offering $100 Million for AI Geniuses
The Journal. · Episode
open.spotify.com
July 3, 2025 at 9:09 PM
Happy pseudo Friday, here’s me on The Journal podcast talking about Meta’s $100 million offers to AI researchers
open.spotify.com/episode/0WGM...
open.spotify.com/episode/0WGM...
Mark Zuckerberg has a secret list of AI researchers that he's targeting in the hopes of turning around his company's AI efforts.
New story on Zuckerberg’s hiring spree www.wsj.com/tech/meta-ai...
New story on Zuckerberg’s hiring spree www.wsj.com/tech/meta-ai...
It’s Known as ‘The List’—and It’s a Secret File of AI Geniuses
Only a select few researchers have the skills for the hottest area in tech. Mark Zuckerberg and his rivals want to hire them—even if it takes pay packages of $100 million.
www.wsj.com
June 28, 2025 at 12:35 AM
Mark Zuckerberg has a secret list of AI researchers that he's targeting in the hopes of turning around his company's AI efforts.
New story on Zuckerberg’s hiring spree www.wsj.com/tech/meta-ai...
New story on Zuckerberg’s hiring spree www.wsj.com/tech/meta-ai...
Reposted by Meghan Bobrowsky
Sources: Meta has poached three OpenAI researchers, Lucas Beyer, Alexander Kolesnikov, and Xiaohua Zhai, for its superintelligence efforts (Meghan Bobrowsky/Wall Street Journal)
Main Link | Techmeme Permalink
Main Link | Techmeme Permalink
June 26, 2025 at 4:01 AM
Sources: Meta has poached three OpenAI researchers, Lucas Beyer, Alexander Kolesnikov, and Xiaohua Zhai, for its superintelligence efforts (Meghan Bobrowsky/Wall Street Journal)
Main Link | Techmeme Permalink
Main Link | Techmeme Permalink
Scoop: Meta has poached three OpenAI researchers: Lucas Beyer, Alexander Kolesnikov and Xiaohua Zhai, according to people familiar with the matter.
An OpenAI spox confirmed the three have left the company.
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/meta...
An OpenAI spox confirmed the three have left the company.
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/meta...
Exclusive | Meta Poaches Three OpenAI Researchers
The social-media giant has hired Lucas Beyer, Alexander Kolesnikov and Xiaohua Zhai for its superintelligence effort.
www.wsj.com
June 26, 2025 at 2:37 AM
Scoop: Meta has poached three OpenAI researchers: Lucas Beyer, Alexander Kolesnikov and Xiaohua Zhai, according to people familiar with the matter.
An OpenAI spox confirmed the three have left the company.
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/meta...
An OpenAI spox confirmed the three have left the company.
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/meta...
plz bury me at Filoli
May 26, 2025 at 10:10 PM
plz bury me at Filoli
Scoop: Tim Cook called Texas Governor Greg Abbott to try to stop him from signing a bill that would require app stores to verify users' ages, according to people familiar with the matter.
With Rolfe Winkler and Amrith Ramkumar: www.wsj.com/tech/tim-coo...
With Rolfe Winkler and Amrith Ramkumar: www.wsj.com/tech/tim-coo...
Exclusive | Tim Cook Called Texas Governor to Stop Online Child-Safety Legislation
Apple’s CEO called Texas Gov. Greg Abbott after law passed requiring app stores to verify user ages.
www.wsj.com
May 23, 2025 at 3:21 PM
Scoop: Tim Cook called Texas Governor Greg Abbott to try to stop him from signing a bill that would require app stores to verify users' ages, according to people familiar with the matter.
With Rolfe Winkler and Amrith Ramkumar: www.wsj.com/tech/tim-coo...
With Rolfe Winkler and Amrith Ramkumar: www.wsj.com/tech/tim-coo...
Scoop: Meta has been struggling to make breakthroughs with its latest AI model Behemoth and has delayed its internal target for rolling the model out
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/meta...
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/meta...
Exclusive | Meta Is Delaying the Rollout of Its Flagship AI Model
The company’s struggle to improve the capabilities of latest AI model mirrors issues at some top AI companies.
www.wsj.com
May 15, 2025 at 7:44 PM
Scoop: Meta has been struggling to make breakthroughs with its latest AI model Behemoth and has delayed its internal target for rolling the model out
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/meta...
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/meta...
Reposted by Meghan Bobrowsky
Former Instagram executive: "The very platforms that have led to our social isolation and being chronically online are now posing a solution to the loneliness epidemic. It almost seems like the arsonist coming back and being the fireman" www.wsj.com/tech/ai/mark... @meghanb.bsky.social
Zuckerberg’s Grand Vision: Most of Your Friends Will Be AI
Meta’s CEO is promoting a future where artificial intelligence is increasingly intertwined with people’s lives.
www.wsj.com
May 8, 2025 at 3:30 PM
Former Instagram executive: "The very platforms that have led to our social isolation and being chronically online are now posing a solution to the loneliness epidemic. It almost seems like the arsonist coming back and being the fireman" www.wsj.com/tech/ai/mark... @meghanb.bsky.social
Over the last week, Mark Zuckerberg has outlined a future where people have AI friends, an AI therapist + AI business agents.
“People are going to want a system that knows them well and that kind of understands them in the way that their feed algorithms do,” he said.
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/mark...
“People are going to want a system that knows them well and that kind of understands them in the way that their feed algorithms do,” he said.
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/mark...
Zuckerberg’s Grand Vision: Most of Your Friends Will Be AI
Meta’s CEO is promoting a future where artificial intelligence is increasingly intertwined with people’s lives.
www.wsj.com
May 7, 2025 at 1:15 PM
Over the last week, Mark Zuckerberg has outlined a future where people have AI friends, an AI therapist + AI business agents.
“People are going to want a system that knows them well and that kind of understands them in the way that their feed algorithms do,” he said.
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/mark...
“People are going to want a system that knows them well and that kind of understands them in the way that their feed algorithms do,” he said.
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/mark...
New analyst notes are coming in ahead of Meta’s earnings next week. MoffettNathanson estimates the tech giant could lose $7 billion from China this year, and up to $23 billion if we enter a prolonged economic downturn
April 22, 2025 at 4:30 PM
New analyst notes are coming in ahead of Meta’s earnings next week. MoffettNathanson estimates the tech giant could lose $7 billion from China this year, and up to $23 billion if we enter a prolonged economic downturn
New from me and Jan: The Week That Google And Meta Faced An Antitrust Reckoning
www.wsj.com/tech/google-...
www.wsj.com/tech/google-...
The Week Google and Meta Faced an Antitrust Reckoning
The two titans of digital advertising are facing unprecedented legal threats over tactics they used to reach dominance.
www.wsj.com
April 18, 2025 at 1:09 AM
New from me and Jan: The Week That Google And Meta Faced An Antitrust Reckoning
www.wsj.com/tech/google-...
www.wsj.com/tech/google-...
Lots of interesting stats and emails coming out of the Meta FTC trial. One stat that sticks out to me:
Nearly 55% of the time that people spend on Facebook now is watching videos, up from 30% pre-pandemic
Nearly 55% of the time that people spend on Facebook now is watching videos, up from 30% pre-pandemic
April 15, 2025 at 11:36 PM
Lots of interesting stats and emails coming out of the Meta FTC trial. One stat that sticks out to me:
Nearly 55% of the time that people spend on Facebook now is watching videos, up from 30% pre-pandemic
Nearly 55% of the time that people spend on Facebook now is watching videos, up from 30% pre-pandemic
Banger of a story on Mark Zuckerberg's failed negotiations to get out of the trial he testified in today www.wsj.com/us-news/law/...
Exclusive | Inside Mark Zuckerberg’s Failed Negotiations to End Antitrust Case
The FTC wanted $30 billion to drop its case. Zuckerberg offered much less and hoped Trump would back him up.
www.wsj.com
April 15, 2025 at 10:33 PM
Banger of a story on Mark Zuckerberg's failed negotiations to get out of the trial he testified in today www.wsj.com/us-news/law/...