Meta has reportedly postponed the release of its much-anticipated Behemoth large language model (LLM) to the fall, after initially targeting an April launch. The delay marks the second revision of its release timeline, with June previously floated as an alternative window. The postponement comes amid internal concerns that the Behemoth model does not significantly outperform Llama 4, which was released in April.
According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, engineers at Meta believe Behemoth’s current capabilities do not yet justify a new release. The model was expected to be showcased during Meta’s first AI-focused developer event, LlamaCon. However, with Meta already integrating Llama 4 into many of its tools, the incremental progress offered by Behemoth is reportedly under evaluation.
Meta’s AI ambitions and market pressure
Meta had previously described Behemoth as “one of the smartest LLMs in the world” and its most powerful model to date. It was intended to serve as a teacher for future AI systems within the company’s growing AI ecosystem. The delay has triggered speculation over Meta’s readiness to compete with industry leaders like OpenAI and Google, both of which continue to move quickly in deploying more capable and commercially relevant AI models.
Also read: Global AI Spend to Hit $360B in 2025: UBS
While Meta has embedded generative AI across its apps—Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger—the current postponement raises questions about whether it can keep pace with its rivals. The recent launch of a standalone Meta AI app and its Ray-Ban smart glasses with built-in AI features reflect the company’s broader strategy, but the lack of breakthrough updates in core model architecture may undermine that progress.
Industry analysts highlight competitive risks
Industry watchers warn that the delay could be more than just a timing issue. As the AI race intensifies, timing, performance, and continuous improvement are critical. “The concern for Meta is how far ahead competitors will advance while it’s still working on refining the models it has already announced,” noted CNET’s AI reporter Katelyn Chedraoui.
For Meta, the delay in Behemoth’s rollout may offer time to refine the model, but it also risks ceding momentum to faster-moving competitors.
