Meta's ambitious AI plans have hit a substantial roadblock as the company continues to delay the release of its most powerful language model to date. Originally scheduled for an April debut at Meta's first AI developer conference, the model codenamed Behemoth has been postponed multiple times, revealing potential challenges in the company's multi-billion dollar AI strategy.
The Delayed Release Timeline
What was initially planned as a major announcement for Meta's first AI developer conference, LlamaCon, in April has now been pushed back multiple times. After missing its April debut, the release was rescheduled for June, but according to recent reports, Behemoth may not see the light of day until fall 2024 or even later. This series of delays has raised questions about Meta's ability to compete effectively with industry leaders like OpenAI and Google in the rapidly evolving AI landscape.
Meta's AI Development Timeline:
- Early 2023: Original Llama models developed by Fundamental AI Research Team
- April 2024: Released Llama 4 variants (Scout and Maverick)
- April 2024: Launched standalone Meta AI app
- April 2024: Initial planned release of "Behemoth" (missed)
- June 2024: Rescheduled release date (likely to be missed)
- Fall 2024 or later: Current projected release timeframe
Engineering Challenges Behind the Scenes
Meta engineers are reportedly struggling to achieve significant performance improvements with Behemoth compared to earlier models in the Llama family. Internal debates have emerged about whether the upgrade is substantial enough to merit a public release, suggesting that the model's real-world capabilities may not match the company's public claims. This disconnect is particularly concerning given that Meta previously asserted that Behemoth—despite still being in training—already outperforms major competitors like GPT-4.5, Claude Sonnet 3.7, and Gemini 2.0 Pro on several STEM benchmarks.
Financial Stakes and Market Pressure
The stakes for Meta are extraordinarily high. The company has committed massive resources to AI development, with plans for up to USD 65 billion in capital expenditures this year alone. With a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.05 as of mid-May, investors are paying over USD 25 for every dollar of earnings, reflecting high expectations for growth and innovation. The continued delays of Behemoth put additional pressure on Meta to demonstrate a clear return on these substantial investments, especially as competitors continue to advance their own AI capabilities.
Meta's AI Investment:
- Planned capital expenditures for 2024: Up to USD 65 billion
- Price-to-earnings ratio: 25.05 (as of May 15, 2024)
- Personnel changes: 11 of 14 original Llama authors have left Meta
Leadership and Team Transitions
Meta's AI journey has undergone significant personnel changes that may be affecting development. Of the 14 authors who created the original Llama models in early 2023 through Meta's Fundamental AI Research Team, 11 have since departed the company. The newer versions, including Behemoth, are being developed by an entirely different team, potentially creating discontinuity in approach and expertise that could be contributing to the current challenges.
Credibility Concerns
Adding to Meta's AI challenges is a recent controversy from April when it was revealed that the model Meta submitted to a widely used AI chatbot leaderboard was not the same version released to the public. The company later admitted to optimizing the submitted model specifically for the benchmark, raising questions about transparency and the accuracy of performance claims. This incident may have damaged Meta's credibility in the AI community at a time when trust is essential.
Industry Context
Meta isn't alone in facing development hurdles with advanced AI models. OpenAI has also postponed its next major model, GPT-5, opting instead to release an intermediate version called GPT-4.5. Similarly, Anthropic has delayed the release of Claude 3.5 Opus, though they've indicated the release is imminent. These industry-wide challenges highlight the increasing complexity of pushing AI capabilities forward while maintaining reliability and safety.
Current AI Offerings and Integration
Despite the Behemoth delays, Meta continues to integrate AI features across its platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger. In April, the company released two smaller Llama 4 variants, Scout and Maverick, and launched a standalone Meta AI app. However, these incremental advances may not be sufficient to keep pace with competitors who are shipping new releases at a rapid pace.
Market Response
The news of Behemoth's continued delays has already impacted Meta's market position. Shares in Meta dropped more than 2% following reports of the delay, reflecting investor concern about the company's AI strategy and execution. As the AI race intensifies, Meta faces increasing pressure to demonstrate that its massive investments will translate into competitive products and services that can rival those of industry leaders.