Meta to ‘selected’ engineers: Joining the new Applied AI Engineering unit is no longer optional, it is now compulsory as the company is …

Meta has started compelling top software engineers from across the company to transfer into its new Applied AI Engineering (AAI) unit, dropping the pretence of voluntary sign-ups, according to an internal memo seen by Reuters. The unit, led by Reality Labs VP Maher Saba, is tasked with building AI agents that can eventually handle much of Meta’s own engineering work—and the company wants its strongest talent staffing it, whether they like it or not.

When Saba set up AAI in March, he put out an open call. Engineers could raise their hand if interested.