Meta’s Bold Move into Superintelligence
Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta has made a significant investment in Scale AI, acquiring a 49% stake in the San Francisco-based startup for $14.3 billion. This deal values Scale AI at $29 billion, just nine years after its founding. As part of the agreement, Scale will remain a separate company, but Meta has effectively poached 28-year-old Scale co-founder and CEO Alexandr Wang to lead its new superintelligence unit.
Who is Alexandr Wang?
Wang, who dropped out of MIT in his freshman year, co-founded Scale with social media influencer and engineer Lucy Guo. He has been recognized as one of the country’s most promising entrepreneurs and has built a reputation as an AI expert in Washington, D.C., even testifying before Congress on the technology. Wang has connections with other top technology leaders, including OpenAI’s Sam Altman.
In his announcement of the deal on X, Wang stated that Scale has “grown to over 1,500 people and become the trusted partner for model builders, enterprises, and governments building and deploying the smartest AI tools and applications.” He emphasized that Scale is now “one of the most impactful companies in the world” and plays a crucial role in accelerating the development of “what may be the most important technology in human history.”
Understanding Scale AI
Scale is an AI infrastructure company that helps AI developers improve their models by enhancing the quality of the data used to train them. It provides labeled data for this purpose. However, the company has faced controversy, including allegations of subjecting contract workers to disturbing content, triggering lawsuits from freelancers who help label the data. Some workers have reported developing PTSD from reviewing this material.
Meta’s AI Ambitions
Meta has been aggressively pivoting towards AI technology since rebranding itself as a virtual and alternative reality company in 2021. The company has released various AI tools, including AI video-making tools for advertising partners and sales-centric agent AI tools. Despite offering $2 million salaries, Meta has struggled to retain key AI engineers, who often leave for competitors like OpenAI and Anthropic.
Recently, it was reported that Meta was delaying the launch of the next generation of its leading Llama AI model due to difficulties in significantly improving the system. This delay has raised internal concerns about the direction of the company’s multibillion-dollar push into AI. The investment in Scale AI and the appointment of Wang to lead Meta’s new superintelligence unit are seen as efforts to address these challenges.
The Future of AI Development
The concept of superintelligence in AI refers to systems that can exceed human brain power, going beyond the goal of artificial general intelligence (AGI) that many AI companies are currently pursuing. AGI represents human-like AI, similar to what is often depicted in science fiction. Meta’s push into superintelligent AI, led by Wang, is expected to bring a business leader mentality to the role, differing from the research scientist-led approach of most competing labs.
The impact of this move on the future of AI development remains to be seen. While Wang’s departure is a significant loss for Scale, Meta’s ambitions in superintelligent AI could potentially trigger a competitive response from other major players in the field, such as Elon Musk’s xAI.
