Meta Platforms has postponed the release of its highly anticipated AI language model, Llama 4 “Behemoth,” due to internal concerns about its performance and capabilities. Originally slated for an April debut, the launch was first rescheduled to June and is now delayed until fall or later.
Technical Hurdles and Performance Concerns
Internal assessments show Behemoth does not perform better than its predecessor, Llama 3, which is the reason for the delay. Concerns have been raised about the model’s public dissemination because engineers have struggled to enhance its reasoning capabilities and overall performance.
Impact on Meta’s AI Strategy and Investments
With plans to invest up to $72 billion in AI infrastructure by 2025, Meta is making significant investments in AI as part of its long-term strategy. But the Behemoth project’s delay has raised questions about how these costs will be recouped. Consequently, once the delay was announced, Meta’s stock fell 2.4%.
Meta keeps refining its AI technology in spite of these obstacles. Smaller models like the Maverick and Llama 4 Scout have been released. Developers and industry analysts are concerned, though, because these models haven’t performed as well as those of rivals.
Broader Industry Context
The fact that other major AI developers, like OpenAI and Anthropic, have voiced reservations about their new models suggests that Meta is not the only business having issues.
Anthropic’s Claude Opus and OpenAI’s GPT-5 are also running behind schedule. This demonstrates how difficult and similar skill sets are needed to produce generative AI technologies.
Looking Ahead
Despite being a major setback for Meta, Behemoth’s delay enables the business to resolve internal issues and fortify the concept. As the AI market develops, Meta prioritises innovation and invests heavily to stay relevant. Meta’s ability to handle challenges will be crucial to its success in this competitive AI industry.
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