Meta has recruited Alan Dye, the Apple executive who led the company’s user interface design for the past decade, to head a newly formed creative studio within its Reality Labs division, as the company increases its focus on consumer devices and artificial intelligence.
Departure from Apple and leadership transition
Dye is leaving Apple to join Meta, according to a report by Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman. At Apple, Dye oversaw the user interface design across major platforms for ten years.
Apple said Dye will be replaced by Steve Lemay. In a statement to Bloomberg, Apple chief executive Tim Cook said Lemay has played “a key role in the design of every major Apple interface since 1999.”
Role at Meta and reporting structure
At Meta, Dye will report directly to Chief Technology Officer Andrew Bosworth. His work will focus on improving artificial intelligence features across Meta’s consumer hardware products, including smart glasses and virtual reality headsets.
The hire comes as Meta continues to expand Reality Labs, which houses its augmented reality, virtual reality, and wearable technology initiatives.
New creative studio inside Reality Labs
Shortly after news of Dye’s move became public, Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg announced the launch of a new creative studio inside Reality Labs that will be led by Dye.
The studio will include Billy Sorrentino, a former Apple designer who previously led interface design across Reality Labs, Joshua To, who also led interface design across Reality Labs, Meta’s industrial design team led by Pete Bristol, and the company’s metaverse design and art teams led by Jason Rubin.
Zuckerberg said the studio will combine design, fashion, and technology to shape future Meta products and experiences. He wrote on Threads that Meta intends to treat intelligence as a new design material and build products that integrate hardware and software through human-centered design.
Continued recruitment from rivals
Meta’s hire of Dye follows other high-profile recruitment efforts. The company also hired researchers from OpenAI earlier this summer. Bloomberg previously reported that Zuckerberg personally participated in recruitment efforts involving OpenAI employees, including informal outreach.
Featured image credits: Wikimedia Commons
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