Yann LeCun's AI start-up raises more than $1bn

Yann LeCun, former AI chief at Meta, has raised over $1 billion for his new startup, Advanced Machine Intelligence Labs (AMI Labs), marking Europe’s largest seed funding round.

Investors include France’s Cathay Innovation, Amazon's Jeff Bezos, and Nvidia, bringing AMI Labs’ pre-money valuation to $3.5 billion.

Led by Alexandre LeBrun, ex-CEO of Nabla, AMI Labs aims to develop AI systems that understand physical environments, rather than relying solely on text. LeBrun states, "Anything that involves understanding the real world... is not the right solution" for current models.

AMI Labs plans applications in robotics and transport, with a focus on research over immediate deployment. The startup's initial focus will be in healthcare, partnering with Nabla.

While Meta does not invest, it will partner with AMI Labs for technology access.