Meta builds AI superintelligence lab, eyes $10 billion deal with Scale AI's Alexandr Wang
Why Meta's betting big on Wang and Scale AI
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Meta is setting up a new artificial intelligence research lab with a bold goal: to develop 'superintelligence,' a system that could surpass human cognitive abilities. The news, first reported by The New York Times, marks Meta's most ambitious AI project to date.At the centre of this effort is Alexandr Wang , the 28-year-old founder and CEO of Scale AI. He is expected to play a leading role in the new lab's operations. Meta is also in advanced discussions to invest over $10 billion in his start-up, according to a separate report by Bloomberg. The deal may also see a number of Scale AI staff transition to Meta.Both companies declined to comment on the reports.Wang has emerged as one of the most prominent figures in the AI industry. His company, Scale AI, supplies data infrastructure essential for training large language models — the same kind used in AI systems like ChatGPT. His addition to Meta's team reflects a larger recruitment drive by the tech giant.According to sources cited by The New York Times, Meta has offered compensation packages ranging from seven to nine figures to top researchers from rivals like Google and OpenAI. Some have already agreed to come on board.Meta's push to hire top AI minds comes amid internal challenges. The company has faced management struggles, employee churn and several underwhelming product launches in its AI division, two of the people familiar with the matter told the paper.Mark Zuckerberg, Meta's chief executive, is not new to the AI race. After losing a bid to acquire DeepMind in 2013 — a key moment that propelled Google's AI efforts — he launched Meta's first dedicated AI lab the same year. Since then, Meta has invested heavily in AI, building tools for content moderation, recommendation engines, and now, generative applications.Zuckerberg sees 2025 as a turning point. 'AI is potentially one of the most important innovations in history,' he said in February. 'This year is going to set the course for the future.'Meta has earmarked up to $65 billion for capital spending on AI infrastructure this year alone.Meta is not the only tech firm placing massive bets on AI. Microsoft has invested over $13 billion in OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT. Amazon has pumped $8 billion into Anthropic, while Google paid $3 billion last year to license technology and recruit talent from Character.AI, a start-up known for its conversational bots.These companies are all chasing artificial general intelligence (AGI), a system that can replicate human intelligence across any domain. Meta, however, is setting its sights even higher — superintelligence , which would go beyond AGI in both scope and performance.While superintelligence remains a theoretical goal, it's considered by leading researchers to be the ultimate destination for AI development.Even before the formation of this new lab, Meta had begun rolling out AI products at scale. Last month, the company revealed that its AI assistant now supports over a billion monthly active users across apps like Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.In February, CNBC reported that Meta was preparing to launch a stand-alone Meta AI app in the second quarter, along with a paid-subscription model similar to OpenAI's ChatGPT.Despite the high costs and intense competition, Meta appears determined to lead the next wave of AI innovation — and with Wang on board, it's signalling that this ambition is more than just talk.The stakes are clear. If Meta succeeds, it won't just catch up to its rivals — it could redefine the field. With billions in play, the hiring of Wang, and a lab focused on the frontier of AI capabilities, Meta is gambling big on a future where machines might not just match human minds — but exceed them.For the industry, and for users around the world, the outcome of this gamble will shape the direction of technology for years to come.
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