Yann LeCun: AI Godfather, Meta Exit, and the Rise of His New Startup AMI Labs
Yann LeCun is one of the leading architects of modern artificial intelligence. He is globally recognized as a pioneer of deep learning and convolutional neural networks (CNNs). In 2018, he received the Turing Award along with Geoffrey Hinton and Yoshua Bengio. Currently (December 2025), he has left Meta and started a new AI startup, which has created a major stir in the AI world.
Yann LeCun – The Life and Contributions of the AI ‘Godfather’
Yann LeCun was born in 1960 in France. He earned an engineering degree from ESIEE Paris and a PhD in computer science from Sorbonne University. While working at AT&T Bell Labs in the 1980s, he created the first successful CNN called LeNet, which was used for handwriting recognition. This invention is the foundation of today's image recognition, autonomous vehicles, and generative AI. He has also worked as a professor at NYU and for a long time at Meta.
Chief Scientist of Meta AI – A Long Journey at Meta
In 2013, Yann LeCun joined Meta (then Facebook) and served as the Chief AI Scientist of Meta AI. He was the founding director of the FAIR (Facebook AI Research) lab. Under his leadership, the Llama model series was created, which revolutionized the field of open-source AI. He has always advocated for open research and considered the current large language models (LLMs) to be limited. But in November 2025, he announced his departure from Meta, as Meta's focus is now on rapid product-based superintelligence.
Yann LeCun's New AI Startup – The Rise of AMI Labs
Immediately after leaving Meta in November 2025, rumors began circulating about Yann LeCun's new AI startup. In December, he officially confirmed that his new company is called Advanced Machine Intelligence (AMI) Labs, or AMI Labs. This startup aims to create “world models” – AI that doesn't just predict text, but understands the physics of the world, simulates cause and effect, maintains persistent memory, and can plan complex actions. LeCun believes this is the next big revolution in AI, surpassing the limitations of current LLMs.
Yann LeCun's New AI Venture – A Paris-Based Global Initiative
As Yann LeCun's new AI venture, AMI Labs will be headquartered in Paris (early 2026). He will serve as Executive Chairman, while Alexandre LeBrun, co-founder and former CEO of Nabla (a healthtech startup), will be the CEO. A strategic partnership with Nabla has been announced, allowing Nabla to be the first to utilize AMI's world model technology in healthcare. This venture is attracting European AI talent and will create a global research organization.
Yann LeCun's Startup – Funding and Valuation Frenzy
Although Yann LeCun's startup AMI Labs hasn't fully launched yet, it's already attracting massive funding. Reports indicate they plan to raise €500 million (approximately $586 million), with a pre-launch valuation potentially exceeding €3 billion to $5 billion. This is evidence of the current frenzy in AI investment – similar to Mira Murati's startup. This valuation is attributed to LeCun's Turing Award and extensive experience.
Yann LeCun Net Worth 2025 – Current Wealth
Many are curious about Yann LeCun's net worth in 2025. According to various sources, his net worth at the end of 2025 is approximately $5 million (some estimates range from $5–10 million). He has primarily pursued an academic and research-based career. His income comes from his salary, bonuses, and stock at Meta as Chief AI Scientist, but he doesn't have the massive equity typical of tech founders. If his new startup is successful, this amount could increase significantly.
Yann LeCun is not just a scientist; he is a bold voice in the philosophy of AI. His new venture, AMI Labs, is proving that the future of AI lies not just in text prediction, but in the ability to truly understand the world. The story of this extraordinary individual inspires us to believe that true innovation comes from a long-term vision and courage. What AMI Labs will bring is certainly worth waiting for.
