Meta AI chief says ‘Watermelon’ model has caught up to GPT-5.5

Meta’s chief AI officer, Alexandr Wang, announced substantial progress in the development of advanced artificial intelligence models during an internal town hall meeting.
According to Business Insider, Wang revealed that Meta’s upcoming AI model, “Watermelon,” has reached parity with OpenAI’s GPT-5.5 model.
“Watermelon,” succeeding the earlier “Avocado” model, is in training and boasts significantly higher computational capabilities.
Wang announced via X that an upgrade to the current AI model, Muse Spark, is forthcoming, promising enhancements in coding and agentic capabilities aimed at bridging gaps with competitors like Anthropic’s Claude Opus.
Despite Meta’s extensive investment in chips, data centers, and talent, Wang’s claim indicates that the company may finally be closing the technological gap with the industry leaders like OpenAI.
CEO Mark Zuckerberg expressed a cautious outlook during the town hall, highlighting Meta’s efforts in AI research led by Wang and acknowledging the company’s recent layoffs due to insufficient adaptation to the fast-evolving AI environment.
Meta has reportedly attracted top AI talent with lucrative offers, supporting its extensive hardware development and AI initiatives.