Mark Zuckerberg criticizes closed AI rivals as Meta returns to open models

Mark Zuckerberg wants you to know that locking up AI behind corporate walls is not just bad business. It’s bad for America. In an interview published July 28, Meta’s CEO took direct aim at companies like OpenAI and Anthropic, arguing that their closed-door approach to AI development risks concentrating too much power in too few hands. The timing was deliberate: Zuckerberg used the moment to signal that Meta is pivoting back toward open-source model releases after a brief and somewhat awkward detour into proprietary territory. The proprietary detour that didn’t quite land In April 2026, Meta released Muse Spark, the company’s first major proprietary AI model. It was a notable departure from the Llama series, which Meta had built its AI reputation on by releasing openly for developers and researchers to use, modify, and build upon. Meta’s earlier Llama models received a somewhat underwhelming reception relative to the frontier capabilities being demonstrated by competitors working behind closed doors. Muse Spark was Meta’s attempt to play that game. During discussions around Meta’s Q2 2026 earnings, Zuckerberg indicated the company plans to resume releasing open-source models in the ...