Meta shifts away from fruit codenames for AI models

Meta has reportedly decided to stop using fruit names as internal codenames for its artificial intelligence models. This strategic shift is intended to better align the company's branding with its ambitious goals for high-level AI development, as fruit-based names are perceived as not being sufficiently prestigious for its frontier-level technology.

Previously, Meta utilized names such as “Mango” for language models and “Avocado” for image models. The company's latest frontier-level model, referred to as “Wonder Full,” carries the internal codename “Watermelon.”

During a podcast appearance in October, CEO Mark Zuckerberg and AI lead Alexandr Wang joked that the company had effectively run out of fruit names. Zuckerberg noted that a new naming convention would be necessary, while Wang remarked that while larger fruits like durian exist, the company would likely avoid such names.