Meta Invests $15 Billion in Pursuit of AI Superintelligence

Published Date : 11/06/2025 

Meta, the parent company of Facebook, is set to invest $15 billion in a bid to achieve computerized superintelligence. This move comes as the company aims to regain the AI initiative after the flop of the Metaverse project. 

Meta is to announce a $15 billion (£11 billion) bid to achieve computerized “superintelligence,” according to multiple reports. The Silicon Valley race to dominate artificial intelligence (AI) is speeding up despite the patchy performance of many existing AI systems.

Mark Zuckerberg, Meta’s chief executive, is expected to announce the company will buy a 49% stake in Scale AI, a startup led by Alexandr Wang and co-founded by Lucy Guo. This move has been described by one Silicon Valley analyst as the action of “a wartime CEO.”

Superintelligence is described as a type of AI that can perform better than humans at all tasks. Currently, AI cannot reach the same level as humans in all tasks, a state known as artificial general intelligence (AGI). Recent studies have shown that many mainstream systems collapse when presented with highly complex puzzles.

Meta’s attempt to leapfrog the current state of progress and target superintelligence is seen by observers as an attempt by the company to regain the initiative over AI after significant advances by competitors including Sam Altman’s OpenAI and Google. This move follows Meta’s huge investment in the concept of the Metaverse, which ultimately flopped.

In March, Wang, 28, signed a deal to build a US defense department system called ThunderForge to apply AI to US military planning and operations, starting with the Indo-Pacific and European commands. The company also received early investment from Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund.

The move by Meta has led to fresh calls for European governments to launch their own more transparent research push that would ensure that the technology was developed robustly while maintaining public trust. An AI equivalent of the Cern European Organization for Nuclear Research in Switzerland has been suggested.

Michael Wooldridge, a professor of the foundations of artificial intelligence at the University of Oxford, said: “There’s a good argument that there should be a Cern for AI where governments collaborate to develop AI openly and robustly so we understand and trust the technology we are developing. That’s not going to happen if it’s developed behind closed doors. AI seems just as important as Cern and particle accelerators.”

Wooldridge added that the reported deal “seems very much like an attempt by Meta to regain the initiative after the Metaverse didn’t take off. They invested spectacular amounts in that and it didn’t just fail, it was ridiculed.”

However, he noted that the state of AI development is patchy and that AGI is still far away, never mind “superintelligence.” “We have AI that can do genuinely impressive things but then it fails on an absolutely simple task which any competent GCSE student wouldn’t fail,” he said.

Dr. Andrew Rogoyski, the director of partnerships and innovation at the Institute for People-Centred AI at Surrey University, said the deal would be “a reflection that the AI companies are hoovering up AI talent from wherever they can get it, whether acquiring young AI companies, or hollowing out university AI departments.”

He also pointed out that Meta’s strategy for AI is different from the likes of OpenAI and Anthropic, where AI is an enabler for Meta’s business rather than its core purpose. “It means they’re not quite as desperate to achieve AGI, so they can afford to take a longer view,” he said.

It was reported that Wang will take a senior position in Meta. Meta declined to comment, and Scale AI has been contacted for comment. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS): 

Q: What is superintelligence?

A: Superintelligence refers to a type of artificial intelligence that can perform better than humans at all tasks. It is a step beyond artificial general intelligence (AGI), which aims to match human intelligence across a wide range of tasks.

Q: Why is Meta investing in superintelligence?

A: Meta is investing in superintelligence to regain the initiative in the AI race after the flop of the Metaverse project. The company aims to leapfrog the current state of AI development and stay competitive with advances made by rivals like OpenAI and Google.

Q: What is the role of Scale AI in this deal?

A: Scale AI is a startup led by Alexandr Wang and co-founded by Lucy Guo. Meta is expected to buy a 49% stake in Scale AI, which has already signed a deal to build a US defense department system called ThunderForge.

Q: What are the concerns about the development of superintelligence?

A: Concerns include the lack of transparency in AI development, the potential for AI to be used in military applications, and the need for robust and trustworthy AI systems. There are calls for governments to collaborate in developing AI openly, similar to the Cern model for nuclear research.

Q: How does Meta's strategy for AI differ from that of OpenAI and Anthropic?

A: Meta's strategy for AI is to use it as an enabler for its business, rather than making AI its core purpose. This allows Meta to take a longer-term view compared to companies like OpenAI and Anthropic, which are more focused on achieving artificial general intelligence (AGI) and superintelligence. 

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