Meta’s reported recruitment of Jason Wei and Hyung Won Chung was part of its push to build a Superintelligence Lab, but the original claim that Wei worked on OpenAI’s o3 model was corrected: WIRED said his work was on o1. Both researchers are associated with reasoning and agent work, and OpenAI’s Deep Research document lists them among its contributors. The move signals competition for AI talent, not proof that Meta has overtaken OpenAI.
What happened in July 2025
On July 15, 2025, WIRED reported, citing multiple sources, that Jason Wei was joining Meta’s Superintelligence Lab. The same report said Hyung Won Chung, who had worked with Wei at OpenAI and Google, was also moving to Meta. WIRED reported that the researchers’ OpenAI Slack profiles had been deactivated, while Meta, OpenAI, Wei and Chung had not immediately commented. WIRED’s report is the source for those details; TechCrunch also covered the reported hires on July 16.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Wei’s own website later listed him as working at Meta Superintelligence Labs, with his OpenAI tenure running from 2023 to 2025. The available reporting does not establish the researchers’ exact Meta titles, compensation, specific model assignments or formal start dates at the time of WIRED’s report.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Why the o3 claim needs correcting
WIRED corrected its report on July 16, 2025, to say Wei worked on OpenAI’s o1 model, not o3. The distinction matters: the initial o3 wording should not be repeated as fact. Wei describes his OpenAI work more broadly as involving reasoning and agents, and neither that description nor the project records establish that he created or led a named model.
#1 Best Overall
- CARDBOARD MONKENAUT — Get our best Gorilla Tag bundle yet with this Amazon exclusive deal. Purchase Meta Quest 3 to get exclusive items, including the Gorilla Space Program Suit and Helmet, plus 2,000 SHINY ROCKS.
- NEARLY 30% LEAP IN RESOLUTION — Experience every thrill in breathtaking detail with sharp graphics and stunning 4K+ Infinite Display.
- NO WIRES, MORE FUN — Break free from cords. Game, play and explore in immersive worlds — untethered and without limits.
- 2X GRAPHICAL PROCESSING POWER — Enjoy lightning-fast load times and next-gen graphics for smooth gaming powered by the Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 processor.
- EXPERIENCE VIRTUAL REALITY — Blend virtual objects with your physical space and experience two worlds at once in your VR headset.
OpenAI’s Deep Research technical document lists both Wei and Chung among contributors. That supports describing them as contributors associated with Deep Research, not as its sole authors or owners. The document’s contributor list also underscores that the work involved a broader team.
Who are Jason Wei and Hyung Won Chung?
Jason Wei
Wei joined OpenAI in 2023 after working at Google. His research background includes chain-of-thought reasoning and reinforcement learning; his personal site describes his OpenAI focus as reasoning and agents and lists Meta Superintelligence Labs as his current employer. Those are areas of expertise, not evidence that he alone was responsible for o1 or Deep Research.
Rank #2
- CARDBOARD MONKENAUT — Get our best Gorilla Tag bundle yet with this Amazon exclusive deal. Purchase Meta Quest 3S to get exclusive items, including the Gorilla Space Program Suit and Helmet, plus 2,000 SHINY ROCKS.
- NO WIRES, MORE FUN — Break free from cords. Game, play and explore immersive worlds — untethered and without limits.
- 2X GRAPHICAL PROCESSING POWER — Enjoy lightning-fast load times and next-gen graphics for smooth gaming powered by the Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 processor.
- EXPERIENCE VIRTUAL REALITY — Take gaming to a new level and blend virtual objects with your physical space to experience two worlds at once in your VR headset.
- 2+ HOURS OF BATTERY LIFE — Charge less, play longer and stay in the action with an improved battery that keeps up. *Based on the graphic performance of the Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 platform vs the Meta Quest 2 platform.
Hyung Won Chung
Chung also worked at OpenAI and Google, overlapping with Wei at both companies. WIRED reported that his personal website described work on some of the same OpenAI projects, including o1 and Deep Research. The evidence supports linking him to those efforts as a researcher and contributor, rather than assigning him sole ownership of either.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →What Deep Research says about their expertise
Deep Research is a research system designed to work through questions that require gathering and synthesizing information, rather than simply returning a short response to a prompt. Its workflow can involve browsing, using tools and combining evidence over multiple steps. That makes the project relevant to broader research in reasoning and AI agents, but a contributor listing does not specify each person’s precise responsibility.
Rank #3
- NEARLY 30% LEAP IN RESOLUTION — Experience every thrill in breathtaking detail with sharp graphics and stunning 4K Infinite Display.
- NO WIRES, MORE FUN — Break free from cords. Play, explore and exercise in immersive worlds — untethered and without limits.
- 2X GRAPHICAL PROCESSING POWER — Enjoy lightning-fast load times and next-gen graphics for smooth gaming powered by the Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 processor.
- EXPERIENCE VIRTUAL REALITY — Blend virtual objects with your physical space and experience two worlds at once.
- 2+ HOURS OF BATTERY LIFE — Charge less, play longer and stay in the action with an improved battery that keeps up.
For Meta, experience with reasoning, reinforcement learning, agent behavior and evaluation of multistep tasks could be strategically useful. These are implications of the researchers’ documented areas and project associations, not reported job descriptions for their Meta roles.
How the hires fit Meta’s wider AI push
The reported move came amid a larger effort by Meta to assemble a high-end AI organization. WIRED reported that Mark Zuckerberg introduced a new Superintelligence team in an internal memo in June 2025, with recruits from OpenAI, Anthropic and Google. Meta also brought in Alexandr Wang, formerly CEO of Scale AI, to help lead its AI organization, after investing $14.3 billion in Scale AI, according to WIRED’s reporting.
Rank #4
- NO WIRES, MORE FUN — Break free from cords. Game, play, exercise and explore immersive worlds — untethered and without limits.
- 2X GRAPHICAL PROCESSING POWER — Enjoy lightning-fast load times and next-gen graphics for smooth gaming powered by the SnapdragonTM XR2 Gen 2 processor.
- EXPERIENCE VIRTUAL REALITY — Take gaming to a new level and blend virtual objects with your physical space to experience two worlds at once.
- 2+ HOURS OF BATTERY LIFE — Charge less, play longer and stay in the action with an improved battery that keeps up.
- 33% MORE MEMORY — Elevate your play with 8GB of RAM. Upgraded memory delivers a next-level experience fueled by sharper graphics and more responsive performance.
WIRED separately reported that Meta had offered compensation packages of up to $300 million over four years to some top AI talent. That figure is a reported upper-end recruitment package, not a disclosed salary or offer to Wei or Chung. Their individual compensation was not established in the reporting.
Recommended Free Tools
Meta publicly announced its personal-superintelligence vision on July 30, 2025, describing an ambition to bring “personal superintelligence” to users. That announcement provides context for the company’s broader direction; it does not establish that Wei and Chung were hired for a particular product or model. Meta’s announcement states the company’s ambition, not an achieved capability.
Best Value
- 【Weight Balance-Dual Adjustable Straps】Customize fit using by dual adjustment knobs (top/back), kawaye vr headset strap 4 points adjustable helps evenly distributes weight to eliminate facial pressure. Fits 22.1"-27.5" head sizes, suitable for both children and adults. 55° flip-up design for oculus head strap design enables glasses-friendly access.
- 【All-Day Comfort - Dual Cotton Pads】Maximum comfort and support with two thick and soft cotton pads. This VR head strap design for oculus/meta quest 3s/3/2 accessories to extend comfort, 35in² oversized cushion rear pad engineered for weight distribution to enhance stability & safety during intense VR workouts.
- 【Built-in Battery Slot】If you have additional power requirements, kawaye for oculus/meta quest 3/3s/2 headstrap features a dedicated compartment for hot-swappable battery packs (MQ001/MQ002, sold separately) - Hot swappable technology helps simplily add a battery in seconds without removing your headset or interrupting gameplay.
- 【90-Second Install & Build Quality】Kawaye design for meta quest 3/2 elite strap replacement includes two set connection fastener kits wthich can quick installs in 90 secs—no tools needed,pur plug-and-play. This kawaye headstrap accessories for meta /oculus Quest 2/Quest 3/33 after 10,000+ bend-tested won’t crack like cheap straps.
- 【Universal Fit for Meta Quest 3S/3/2 】Kawaye head strap compatible with Meta Quest 3/Quest 3S/Oculus Quest 2 vr headset, enjoy the same adjustable comfort across all. We Included：1× Comfort Head Strap | 1× for Quest 3S/3 Fasteners | 1× for Quest 2 Fasteners | 1× Cleaning Cloth | 24/7 Support.
What the move meant for OpenAI—and what it does not prove
OpenAI lost two researchers associated with reasoning, agents and Deep Research. Departures can affect continuity, mentorship and the institutional memory behind long-running projects, particularly when multiple researchers leave. But the available reporting does not show that these departures crippled OpenAI, transferred confidential information or materially changed either company’s model performance.
AI models are developed by teams and depend on more than individual expertise: compute, data, infrastructure, research direction, management and product execution all matter. Recruiting experienced researchers can help a lab build capability, but two hires alone cannot establish that Meta has surpassed OpenAI or that the balance of competition has shifted.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
