Meta has initiated a significant reorganization of its metaverse division, executing a leadership reshuffle that strategically aligns its immersive technology endeavors more closely with artificial intelligence. According to an internal memorandum viewed by Business Insider, the company’s Chief Technology Officer, Andrew Bosworth, detailed that the structural changes are designed not only to preserve the importance of the metaverse within Meta’s overall vision but also to ensure deeper integration with its rapidly expanding AI initiatives. This move underscores Meta’s ongoing commitment to the convergence of virtual reality, mobile experiences, and intelligent computing — a triad that the company sees as pivotal to the future of digital connection and creative expression.
As part of these transformations, Vishal Shah, one of the primary architects of Meta’s metaverse mission over the last four years, will transition from his current leadership role within Reality Labs to join Meta Superintelligence Labs (MSL). In this new capacity, he will assume the title of Vice President of AI Products, taking responsibility for product management within the Products and Applied Research (PAR) division and reporting directly to Nat Friedman, a senior leader within MSL. Shah expressed in his internal communication that this step represents both a challenging and an energizing progression — one that reflects his belief that AI now stands as one of the most powerful technological shifts of this generation. He intends to channel his extensive experience with Reality Labs and Instagram into advancing AI development that can scale across Meta’s Family of Apps and hardware ecosystems.
In the redefined metaverse structure, Gabriel Aul, who previously headed product development for Meta Horizon — the company’s flagship virtual world platform — will take on leadership of the Metaverse Product Group. Under his direction, the division will continue enhancing both virtual-reality-based and mobile experiences, with an emphasis on quality, immersion, and interoperability across Meta’s suite of devices. Supporting Aul are several senior leaders including Jason Rubin, Samantha Ryan, and Thamara Sekhar, all of whom will now report directly to him. Additionally, Saxs Person has been appointed to lead the Horizon Experiences team, reflecting Meta’s intention to refine user engagement and content creation within its immersive environments.
Parallel to Aul’s appointment, Ryan Cairns will continue to spearhead Horizon OS, the organizational group responsible for Meta’s virtual reality hardware and operating systems. Reporting directly to Bosworth, Cairns and his team will maintain their dedicated focus on developing hardware and software that bring Meta’s metaverse vision to life. With a robust roadmap of upcoming launches and cutting-edge VR devices, Horizon OS will play a central role in ensuring that Meta’s technical infrastructure evolves in tandem with its creative and experiential ambitions. The two groups — Metaverse and Horizon OS — are expected to collaborate closely, coordinating efforts so that software and hardware innovations integrate seamlessly across platforms, thereby offering users a unified and intuitive experience.
Bosworth, in his communication to staff, emphasized that despite the leadership transitions, the strategic importance of the metaverse remains unchanged. He noted that Meta’s long-term thesis about immersive virtual worlds has not only held firm but has also compelled competitors to accelerate their own efforts in order to keep pace. Therefore, he urged teams across the company to sustain their momentum and capitalize on the competitive advantage built through years of research, development, and performance in the field of immersive technology.
Shah, reflecting on the four years he devoted to building Meta’s metaverse foundations, described the evolution of the team’s work with marked pride. He highlighted how the division established leading positions in several key categories of VR hardware, developed a sophisticated product roadmap to broaden accessibility, and invested deeply in the next generation of its Horizon engine — a technology enabling higher concurrency and graphical fidelity in virtual experiences. Additionally, innovations such as the rebuilt avatar system, the creation of a recognizable visual style, and the introduction of highly realistic codec avatars have set new standards for immersion and user representation. Bringing Horizon Mobile to market extended the reach of Meta’s metaverse beyond headsets, while new AI-centric creative tools have made virtual world-building more streamlined and accessible for developers and creators alike.
Shah’s move to MSL, however, is not an indication of retreat from the metaverse vision but rather an evolution of it. He stated that AI and the metaverse are deeply intertwined, explaining that advancing AI-driven personalization is essential to realizing the full potential of immersive experiences. As part of his new mandate, he plans to strengthen the link between Meta Superintelligence Labs and Reality Labs, fostering collaboration that will lead to the development of personal superintelligence — a vision aimed at empowering billions of users across all devices to engage with technology in more natural, contextually aware, and meaningful ways.
Ultimately, Meta’s reorganization illustrates the company’s broader trajectory: a fusion of virtual, mobile, and intelligent systems that reshapes how people interact, create, and connect. By refining leadership structures, emphasizing execution, and strategically positioning AI as an enhancer of both creativity and functionality, Meta affirms its ambition to transform the digital frontier. In the words of Bosworth, the priority remains crystal clear — to execute with precision, innovate continuously, and sustain Meta’s hard-earned leadership in defining the metaverse’s ever-expanding horizon.
Sourse: https://www.businessinsider.com/meta-cto-andrew-bosworth-reshuffling-metaverse-unit-read-the-memo-2025-10
