Yann LeCun’s AMI Labs Raises $3.5B Valuation to Build ‘World Models’ for Safer, Real‑World AI

Yann LeCun has launched AMI Labs (Advanced Machine Intelligence), a Paris‑headquartered startup focused on building foundational “world models” — AI systems that model real‑world physics, causality and persistent memory rather than relying solely on large language models. The company, confirmed in October 2025, reportedly holds a $3.5 billion pre‑launch valuation and aims for applications in healthcare, industrial automation, robotics and wearables where reliability and controllability are critical. LeCun is executive chairman; Alex LeBrun (ex‑Nabla) is CEO and Laurent Solly (ex‑Meta VP Europe) is part of the team. Investors in talks include Cathay Innovation, Greycroft and Hiro Capital, with others like Bpifrance and Daphni reported as potential backers. AMI positions itself against rivals such as Fei‑Fei Li’s World Labs by prioritizing foundational research that models the real world rather than generating 3D environments. The startup will keep offices in Montreal, New York and Singapore and has public support from the French government. AMI plans a B2B licensing model targeting high‑liability sectors and emphasises safety and explainability to reduce AI hallucinations and improve planning. This raises prospects for stronger industry demand for reliable AI primitives and reinforces Europe’s role in global AI research.