Meta's VR/AR platform gets its own unit
Big shake-up at Meta: the company split off Horizon OS (its VR/AR platform) into its own unit, now led by Ryan Cairns.
Meanwhile, Gabriel Aul steps up as head of the Metaverse Product Group, focusing on VR and mobile virtual experiences.
This follows Vishal Shah's long-time leadership; he's now moving to lead AI product integration at Meta Superintelligence Labs.
Why the shake-up matters
Meta is doubling down on immersive tech and AI to stay ahead in a crowded field—think rivals like Android XR.
With over $100 billion poured into mixed and virtual reality just this year, splitting up teams is meant to speed up innovation and keep Meta competitive.
Aul's impressive track record
Aul knows his way around both hardware and virtual worlds—he was VP of Oculus and led Meta Horizon before this.
He's also held senior roles at Microsoft (remember the Windows Insider Program?).
At Meta, he'll have support from Jason Rubin, Samantha Ryan, and Thamara Sekhar.
Shah's new role at Meta
Vishal Shah isn't leaving—he's shifting gears to focus on blending AI with immersive tech at Meta Superintelligence Labs.
It's a move that signals how closely Meta wants these two areas working together going forward.