Meta is shifting to a closed-source AI model, codenamed "Avocado," set for a 2026 spring launch. The project, led by TBD Lab, integrates third-party models like Google Gemma and Alibaba Qwen. This project announcement marks a major pivot from Meta’s open-source tradition. The model may be sold with limited access. Meta is also redirecting funds from the metaverse to AI hardware and plans a $60 billion investment in U.S. AI infrastructure over three years. This move brings fresh AI + crypto news for the sector.

Derived from TechFlow, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is reportedly steering the company toward a closed-source AI strategy, with a new model codenamed 'Avocado' expected to launch in spring 2026. The model may be sold with restricted access, marking a significant departure from Meta's long-standing open-source approach. The TBD Lab team, which has integrated third-party models like Google Gemma, OpenAI gpt-oss, and Alibaba Qwen, is central to the project. Meanwhile, Meta is reallocating resources from the metaverse and VR to AI hardware and plans to invest $60 billion in U.S. AI infrastructure over the next three years.