Meta paying nearly $15B for 49% stake in Scale AI as Zuckerberg ramps up AI efforts: report

Core Insights - Meta Platforms has agreed to acquire a 49% stake in Scale AI for $14.8 billion, which is significant for the development of AI tools like ChatGPT [1] - The deal is expected to benefit Scale AI's investors and employees, indicating a positive outlook for the startup [2] - Scale AI CEO Alexandr Wang will assume a leadership role at Meta, overseeing a new "superintelligence" lab [4] Company Strategy - Meta is actively recruiting top AI researchers to enhance its AI capabilities, addressing concerns about falling behind in the AI race [5][8] - The company has faced challenges with its Llama 4 large language models and has delayed the release of its flagship "Behemoth" AI model due to performance concerns [5] - The structure of the deal with Scale AI may be designed to mitigate regulatory scrutiny, reflecting Meta's ongoing antitrust challenges [6][7] Financial Performance - Scale AI was valued at $13.8 billion in a recent funding round and generated approximately $870 million in revenue in 2024, with expectations to exceed $2 billion in 2025 [7] - The company serves notable clients, including OpenAI, Microsoft, and Cisco Systems, highlighting its importance in the AI ecosystem [7]