Meta has appointed Clara Shih, the former CEO of AI at Salesforce, to lead its newly formed Business AI group. The initiative aims to create advanced AI tools for businesses that use Meta’s platforms, such as Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp, to engage with consumers. Shih shared her excitement for the role on LinkedIn, stating that the goal of the group is to make advanced AI accessible to every business, empowering them to thrive in the AI era. Shih’s departure from Salesforce comes amid the company’s efforts to ramp up its own AI capabilities, with Adam Evans stepping into her former position as the Executive Vice President of AI at Salesforce.
Meta’s approach to AI, driven by its Llama large language models, marks a shift toward enhancing its current family of apps rather than selling AI tools directly. The company plans to offer AI-driven products to help businesses create more engaging ads and content. While it remains unclear whether Meta will charge for these AI tools or offer them for free to boost ad spending, the integration of AI-generated content into its platforms could be a profitable venture. This move aligns with Meta’s broader vision of improving business efficiency through AI, as expressed by Meta’s VP of Monetization, John Hegeman.