Meta is investing nearly $15 billion in data-labeling firm Scale AI, taking a 49% stake in the startup, as part of its push into superintelligence. The deal marks another large and risky bet by Meta, following its $19 billion WhatsApp acquisition and $1 billion Instagram purchase.
The company’s decision to invest in Scale AI is a strategic move, aiming to access high-quality data for training top AI models. Scale AI has been working with leading AI labs like OpenAI, providing critical data annotation services. However, some industry experts question Meta’s ability to recoup its investment, given the intense competition from rivals such as OpenAI and Google.
Wang, CEO of Scale AI, will lead a new superintelligence team within Meta, tasked with developing cutting-edge AI models. His appointment aims to revamp Meta’s innovation efforts around data, which have been lacking in recent years.
However, Wang lacks experience leading an AI lab, unlike some rival CEOs who have extensive backgrounds in AI research. To address this, Meta is recruiting high-profile talent like DeepMind’s Jack Rae to round out its new AI research group.
The future of Scale AI remains uncertain, with some experts suggesting that the company may struggle to adapt to changes in data collection and optimization methods. Nevertheless, Meta’s investment could provide a significant boost to the company’s growth prospects, assuming it can successfully integrate Scale AI into its strategy.
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2025/06/11/can-scale-ai-and-alexandr-wang-reignite-metas-ai-efforts