Overview
- Meta has completed a $14.3 billion purchase for a 49 percent stake in Scale AI, valuing the data-labeling startup at $29 billion.
- Alexandr Wang will join Meta to lead a new research lab focused on developing so-called superintelligence under Mark Zuckerberg’s direction.
- Scale AI will remain independent with chief strategy officer Jason Droege stepping in as interim CEO after Wang’s departure.
- The deal ranks as Meta’s second-largest ever acquisition and underscores Zuckerberg’s effort to narrow the gap with AI rivals such as Google and OpenAI.
- Analysts warn the investment could strain Scale’s ties with other major clients and is unlikely to improve pay or protections for its gig-based data workers.