Meta Denies Report It’s Considering Google AI Models for Ad Business

Meta denied a media report that it is considering using Google’s artificial intelligence (AI) models in its ad business.

The Information reported Thursday (Sept. 25), citing unnamed sources, that Meta is considering this move and has had discussions with Google Cloud about doing so.

Reached by PYMNTS, a Meta spokesperson said the company is only using Google’s models for benchmarking.

“We’ve always built our own industry-leading, proprietary ad targeting and recommendation systems,” the Meta spokesperson said in an email. “Separate from that, we regularly evaluate third-party tools for the purpose of benchmarking, which is the case here.”

The Information report said Meta was looking into using Google’s AI models to help summarize ads for its ad recommendation system, which aims to show ads to the people for whom they are meant.

According to The Information report, this consideration of another company’s technology signals that Meta has seen “stumbles” with its own AI and may be looking for an interim solution until its new Superintelligence Labs team refines its own Llama AI models.

The report said the talks with Google are in their early stages and may not result in a deal.

Google did not immediately reply to PYMNTS’ request for comment.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said during a July 30 earnings call that advertising efficiency is one area in which AI is already changing the company’s products. He said new recommendation models had lifted ad conversions 5% on Instagram and 3% on Facebook in the quarter.

Zuckerberg also outlined his ambition for “superintelligence.”

“Over the last few months, we’ve begun to see glimpses of our AI systems improving themselves, and the improvement is slow for now, but undeniable,” Zuckerberg said during the call. “Developing superintelligence — which we define as AI that surpasses human intelligence in every way — is now in sight.”

It was reported in June that Meta plans to create and target advertisements using AI by the end of 2026 and that the move is a key element of Zuckerberg’s vision for the future of Meta, where advertising remains the core revenue driver.

Meta pursued a massive recruitment drive during the summer, adding AI professionals and offering, in some cases, nine-figure compensation packages.