Facebook disbands secretive research lab amid reorganization

Facebook’s secretive research lab, where the company developed new hardware like its Portal speakers and researched moonshot projects like brain computer interfaces, is no more.

Building 8, the division Facebook created in 2016 to house some of its most ambitious projects, has been disbanded and the projects have been redistributed to other groups within the social media company.

The change, which was first reported by Business Insider, marks the end of the “Building 8” brand, though the group’s work will continue on.

Facebook created Building 8 in 2016, with CEO Mark Zuckerberg committing to pour “hundreds of millions of dollars into this effort over the next few years” in order to “to advance our mission of connecting the world.” To lead the new Building 8 work, the company poached former DARPA head Regina Dugan from Google, where she oversaw the company Advanced Technology and Projects (ATAP) group.  Read more…

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