Meta Delays Next-Gen AI Model "Avocado" to May: Performance Falls Short of Rivals, Considers Licensing Google Gemini — $135B AI Bet Under Scrutiny
Meta Platforms has delayed the release of its next-generation AI model codenamed "Avocado" from March to at least May 2026, after internal testing revealed the model's performance falls short of leading competitors including OpenAI's GPT, Anthropic's Claude, and Google's latest Gemini models. The New York Times first reported that Meta's AI division leaders are now considering temporarily licensing Google's Gemini to power Meta's AI products. The delay comes as Meta plans to invest up to $135 billion in AI infrastructure in 2026 and reportedly considers layoffs of 20% or more of its workforce to fund aggressive AI spending.
2026 AI Funding TOP Rankings Released: OpenAI Leads at $174B+, xAI Raises $20B in January, Anthropic at $69.2B — February's $189B Sets All-Time Venture Record
The 2026 AI funding landscape has shattered all records, with OpenAI leading the pack at $174B+ total funding following its massive $110B February round. xAI secured $20B in January's upsized Series E, while Anthropic reached $69.2B total after its $30B Series G at $380B valuation. February 2026 became the biggest month in venture capital history with $189B global funding, of which $171B went to AI startups. Figure AI ($3.2B+) and Perplexity ($2.6B+) round out the top five, as AI startups captured over 90% of venture funding in the record-breaking month.
