Meta poaches Apple design Exec ALAN DYE to lead new creative studio in Reality Labs

Thursday, December 4, 2025 -In a bold move that signals a shift in the tech world, Meta has hired Alan Dye — until now a top design executive at Apple — to head a new creative studio within its Reality Labs division. Dye, who has led Apple’s user-interface and human-interface design for the past decade, will join Meta as Chief Design Officer on December 31, 2025.

Meta says the new studio will merge design, fashion, and technology — aiming to treat “intelligence as a new design material.” Dye’s remit will cover hardware, software, and AI integration, focusing especially on wearables and consumer devices such as smart glasses and virtual reality headsets. He will report directly to the company’s Chief Technology Officer.

For Apple, the departure marks yet another high-profile loss amid a broader exodus of senior design talent. Industry watchers say the move underscores how fierce the competition has become over the next generation of AI-powered devices — and highlights Meta’s ambition to aggressively challenge traditional hardware makers in shaping what comes after the smartphone era.