Meta is reportedly nearing a historic investment of nearly $15 billion in Scale AI, marking its largest external investment to date. This deal would secure a 49% ownership stake in the AI company, as outlined by The Information. Meta’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, is personally leading the formation of a specialized team of around 50 individuals aimed at accelerating the company’s AI initiatives, with an emphasis on pursuing artificial general intelligence (AGI). Alexandr Wang, Scale AI’s CEO, is expected to join this newly established group once the agreement is finalized, according to Bloomberg and The New York Times.
AGI refers to an advanced form of artificial intelligence that matches or exceeds human cognitive abilities. This is a key objective for many leaders in the AI sector, with companies racing to secure a competitive edge in this rapidly evolving field. Bloomberg was the first to report on the potential multibillion-dollar investment by Meta.
Scale AI, known for supplying training data to industry leaders such as OpenAI, Google, Microsoft, and Meta, anticipated in April that its revenue for 2025 would exceed $2 billion, more than double from the previous year. The company is also planning a tender offer for its employees and early investors, targeting a valuation of approximately $25 billion.
With the AI landscape rapidly evolving, Meta has expressed concerns over potentially lagging behind rivals like OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, and Microsoft. In May, the company postponed the launch of its new flagship AI model, named Behemoth, amid worries regarding its performance relative to competing technologies, as reported by The Wall Street Journal.
This significant investment in Scale AI reflects Meta’s strategic move to enhance its position in the AI field, where major tech companies are actively backing various AI startups to bolster their chances of success.
Amazon has committed over $8 billion to Anthropic, which was founded by former OpenAI researchers, with Anthropic’s technology now integrated into Amazon’s Alexa Plus. Google has invested at least $3 billion into Anthropic as well, benefiting from a substantial cloud partnership. Microsoft has notably invested at least $13 billion in OpenAI, receiving a share of its revenue in return.
In addition to its anticipated agreement with Meta, Scale AI has been proactive in establishing partnerships with governments worldwide. This includes a five-year contract with Qatar aimed at providing automation solutions across various sectors, such as civil service and healthcare. The company has stated that its engagements with nations in Asia and Europe may significantly contribute to future sales. Additionally, in March, Scale entered into a multimillion-dollar contract with the U.S. Department of Defense for a flagship AI project intended for military applications.
