The delay follows reports from The New York Times and Reuters citing performance concerns during internal testing.
The Avocado model is currently said to perform between Gemini 2.5 and Gemini 3 developed by Google.
CEO Mark Zuckerberg has reaffirmed Meta’s aggressive AI push, including $115–$135 billion in planned infrastructure investments.
Meta has reportedly pushed back the launch of its upcoming AI model, codenamed Avocado. This comes after the New York Times report, citing sources, stated that this model was supposed to launch this month but will now debut in May or later.
According to a Reuters report, the delay is linked to performance concerns. The new AI model is currently said to perform between Gemini 2.5 and Gemini 3, developed by Google. However, it has not yet matched the latest capabilities offered by competing AI systems, which has led Meta to reconsider the launch timeline.
The report also stated that the company has been working on the Avocado model for several months, but the internal evaluations showed the model still needs improvements before it can compete effectively with rival platforms.
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Even after the delay, the report stated that Meta continues to increase spending on artificial intelligence. Previously, the company announced its plan to invest between $115 billion and $135 billion in capital expenditure as it builds infrastructure and technologies aimed at achieving what it describes as superintelligence.
The report also mentioned that a Meta spokesperson also said the company remains confident about the direction of its AI development. The spokesperson reiterated comments previously made by CEO Mark Zuckerberg during the earnings call, stating that the company’s next AI model will show big progress that Meta is making in the field. The spokesperson also indicated that additional models are expected to be released over the course of the year.
Further, the report also stated that internal discussions at Meta have also explored the possibility of temporarily licensing Google’s Gemini technology to support some of its AI products. However, sources familiar with the matter said that no final decision has been made on that front.
The Avocado model first surfaced late last year, when media outlets revealed that Meta was developing a new text-focused AI system set to launch in the first quarter. The updated timeline indicates that the company is taking more time to improve the model before making it publicly available.
