Meta is establishing a dedicated hardware team within its high-profile Meta Superintelligence Labs (MSL) division, signalling a deeper push into AI-powered devices. The company is hiring veteran engineer Rui Xu to lead this hardware initiative, according to sources familiar with the matter. This move comes as tech giants race to develop the next generation of AI-native personal devices.
The new hardware effort is part of MSL, the advanced AI division announced by Meta last year. While Meta's Reality Labs division is known for smart glasses and VR headsets, this new team hints at the development of other types of AI hardware. Some engineers from Reality Labs have already transitioned to MSL to begin prototyping the AI division's software on existing hardware platforms.
Veteran Engineer to Lead Hardware Push
Rui Xu is being hired to lead hardware at MSL. Xu most recently served as head of hardware at Dreamer, an AI agent startup whose founding team was acqui-hired by Meta just last month. Prior to that, he was the chief operating officer of robotics startup K-Scale, which shut down operations last year.
Xu brings extensive experience from major Chinese tech firms. He previously worked on smart devices at TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, leading a lab that shipped millions of units in China. His career also includes management roles at smartphone maker Xiaomi, laptop manufacturer Lenovo, and internet giant Tencent.
Strategic Vision for AI Agents
The hardware development aligns with the public vision outlined by MSL chief Alexandr Wang. In a February podcast appearance, Wang stated that Meta aims to expand beyond smartphones into a world where everyone has a personalized AI agent across a "constellation" of devices. "You're going to want your personal agent to be with you in a bunch of different ways that will always be on, see what you see, hear what you hear," Wang said.
He promised significant momentum, adding, "Over the coming months, you're going to see incredible velocity coming from us." This vision places Meta in direct competition with other tech giants like OpenAI, who are also racing to build the first successful AI-native personal device.
Context and Connections
The hiring connects to existing networks within Meta's AI leadership. Nat Friedman, who leads the products and applied research division at MSL, had previously invested in Xu's former company, K-Scale, through the AI Grant program he co-founded. The close collaboration between MSL and Reality Labs suggests a strategy of leveraging existing hardware expertise while building new, AI-specific capabilities.
Meta declined to comment on the new hardware team or the hiring. Rui Xu did not respond to a request for comment sent via email.