Meta Delays Avocado AI Model as It Falls Behind Rivals

Meta's Avocado AI Model Hits Another Roadblock

Meta has delayed the release of its highly anticipated frontier AI model, codenamed Avocado, pushing the timeline from March to no earlier than May. The postponement follows internal testing that revealed the model falls short of leading offerings from Google, OpenAI, and Anthropic in key areas including logical reasoning, programming, and writing tasks.

A Pattern of Slipping Deadlines

Avocado has now been delayed multiple times. Originally expected before the end of 2025, the timeline slipped to the first quarter of 2026 amid training and performance challenges. While an internal memo from earlier this year described Avocado as Meta's most capable pre-trained base model to date, noting it was competitive with leading post-trained models even before refinement, the model has apparently failed to clear the bar set by competitors. Testing showed Avocado outperformed Meta's previous models and Google's Gemini 2.5, but could not match Google's newer Gemini 3.0.

Considering a Rival's Technology

In a striking development, Meta executives are reportedly discussing the possibility of temporarily licensing Google's Gemini technology to support AI features across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp while Avocado development continues. The company has already deepened ties with Google's infrastructure, signing a multi-billion-dollar deal in February to lease Google's Tensor Processing Units for AI model development.

Massive Investment Under Scrutiny

The delay puts added pressure on Meta's enormous AI spending. The company has projected capital expenditure of up to one hundred and thirty-five billion dollars for 2026, nearly double last year's roughly seventy-two billion dollars. The setback also follows a troubled period that saw the previous flagship model, Llama 4 Behemoth, repeatedly delayed in 2025, prompting CEO Mark Zuckerberg to overhaul AI leadership and pivot away from the company's signature open-source approach.