Meta Platforms is preparing a new artificial intelligence model that has reportedly caught up with some of the industry’s leading systems.
According to Business Insider, Meta’s superintelligence chief Alexandr Wang said the company’s upcoming model is now competitive with OpenAI’s flagship technology.
Meta’s Watermelon AI Model Targets OpenAI
The new Meta AI model is reportedly codenamed Watermelon.
During a company town hall, Wang said Watermelon had caught up with OpenAI’s GPT-5.5 model, Business Insider reported, citing two people familiar with the discussion.
However, it was not immediately clear which benchmarks or performance tests Wang used to support the comparison.
Meta Tries to Close the AI Gap
Meta has invested heavily in artificial intelligence but has often been viewed as trailing competitors such as OpenAI and Anthropic.
The company has spent billions of dollars on AI chips, data centres and specialist talent as it works to strengthen its position in the rapidly expanding sector.
Despite those investments, Meta’s previous models have not consistently matched the strongest products from its main rivals.
Muse Spark Showed Progress but Lagged Rivals
Meta released its Muse Spark model in April.
The model reportedly performed well across several benchmark tests. However, it was still considered weaker than competing AI systems from OpenAI and Anthropic.
The upcoming Watermelon model could therefore represent an important step forward for Meta’s wider AI strategy.
Zuckerberg Oversees Meta’s AI Expansion
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has taken a direct role in the company’s artificial intelligence development.
The company has accelerated its efforts to build more advanced models and compete for leading AI researchers and engineers.
Zuckerberg hired Alexandr Wang last year to lead Meta’s AI division and help drive the company’s push towards more powerful artificial intelligence systems.
Meta Faces Pressure to Prove Its AI Investments
Meta’s reported progress with Watermelon may increase expectations around its next model launch.
However, investors and technology analysts are likely to wait for independent benchmark results before concluding that Meta has fully closed the gap with OpenAI.
Until those results are available, Wang’s claim remains an internal assessment rather than independently verified evidence.
