Meta Platforms (META, Financial) is reportedly making a $14.8 billion move to deepen its AI efforts, agreeing to buy nearly half of Scale AI, according to a report from The Information. The deal would give Meta a 49% stake and push Scale AI's valuation to $28 billion — double where it stood last year.
Under the terms, Meta will pay existing shareholders directly, and Scale AI CEO Alexandr Wang is expected to take a major role inside Meta. Multiple outlets report that Wang, 28, could join the company's “superintelligence” team, an elite group personally overseen by CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
Scale AI is known for its work in data labeling and structuring for machine learning — services that help train large AI models. Meta is already a significant client, as are competitors like Alphabet (GOOG, Financial), Microsoft (MSFT, Financial), Nvidia (NVDA, Financial), and OpenAI. That relationship could allow Meta to frame the investment as strategic rather than controlling, potentially skirting some regulatory scrutiny.
The two companies haven't confirmed the report and did not immediately respond to comment requests.
This move follows earlier reports over the weekend that Meta was in late-stage talks to take a sizable position in the startup. If finalized, the deal would mark one of the biggest AI investments by a U.S. tech company this year.
