Yann LeCun, one of the pioneers of modern AI and a Turing Award winner, is officially launching a new startup, and it’s already getting a lot of attention.

The company is called Advanced Machine Intelligence (AMI) Labs, and its goal is ambitious: to build AI systems that don’t just generate text, but actually understand how the real world works. This idea, known as “world models,” has been central to LeCun’s thinking for years.

Even though AMI Labs is still in its early days, reports suggest it’s already in talks to raise around €500 million, with a valuation that could reach $5 billion. That level of interest says a lot about how much confidence investors have in LeCun and in the direction he’s pushing AI.

A New Chapter for LeCun

After spending years as Meta’s Chief AI Scientist, LeCun is taking on a new role as Executive Chairman at AMI Labs. The company will be led day-to-day by Alex LeBrun, co-founder and former CEO of medical AI startup Nabla, who steps in as CEO.

LeCun publicly confirmed the startup after months of speculation within the tech industry.

What Makes “World Models” Different?

Most current AI systems, including large language models, are really good at predicting the next word in a sentence. World models aim for something deeper. They’re designed to learn cause and effect, understand space and motion, and predict what will happen next in the physical world, using things like video and sensory data.

In short, instead of just talking convincingly, these systems are meant to reason, plan, and make decisions in a way that’s closer to how humans and animals understand their environment.

‍

‍

Leadership and Strategy

With an experienced AI leader like Alex LeBrun at the CEO helm, AMI Labs is positioned to attract top talent and investment. LeBrun’s background with Nabla, a promising medical AI company and his prior roles in the AI ecosystem contribute both credibility and operational experience to the startup.

LeCun’s choice to assume the role of Executive Chairman, rather than CEO suggests a strategy where research vision and business execution are handled by specialized leaders working together.

Why People Are Paying Attention

AMI Labs hasn’t released a product yet, but the excitement around it reflects a broader shift in AI research. While many companies are focused on making today’s models bigger and faster, others like LeCun believe real progress will come from new architectures that can truly understand the world.

With a bold vision, experienced leadership, and one of AI’s most respected figures at the helm, AMI Labs is quickly becoming one of the most closely watched startups in the field.

Final Thoughts

Yann LeCun’s new startup Advanced Machine Intelligence represents a bold bet on the future of AI, one that goes beyond current paradigms and aims to build systems capable of deeper insight into the world. With substantial early valuation targets and experienced leadership, AMI Labs is quickly becoming one of the most watched ventures in AI today.

Whether world models will become the next dominant architecture remains to be seen but with pioneers like LeCun at the helm, the race for the future of artificial intelligence has unquestionably entered an exciting new phase.