Microsoft (MSFT, Financial) slipped 0.69% after OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar said the ChatGPT maker will keep collaborating with Scale AI despite Meta's (META, Financial) $14.3 billion investment for a 49% stake, valuing the company at over $29 billion.
Speaking at Paris's VivaTech conference, Friar warned that sidelining partners “would slow the pace of innovation,” underscoring the need for an open AI ecosystem even as acquisitions reshape the field.
Meta's deal, confirmed Thursday, also brings Scale CEO Alexandr Wang into Meta to lead its new “superintelligence” team focused on artificial general intelligence. OpenAI, backed financially by Microsoft among others, sees continued work with Scale as key to advancing AI models and tooling for enterprises.
Although Meta's investment could accelerate its own AI roadmap, Friar's comments signal that OpenAI intends to maintain a broad partner network rather than consolidate services under a single corporate umbrella.
Why It Matters: As Big Tech doubles down on AI M&A, OpenAI's stance on partnership flexibility may influence the industry's innovation trajectory and determine how quickly new capabilities reach market.
