Published Date : 09/06/2025
Meta, the tech giant behind Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, is reportedly considering a significant investment in artificial intelligence (AI) startup Scale AI. According to Bloomberg News, Meta is in talks with Scale AI about an investment that could exceed $10 billion, a move that would be Meta's largest-ever outside expenditure on AI.
Scale AI, which counts Microsoft and OpenAI among its clients, offers data labeling services to help businesses train machine learning models. The startup has been a crucial beneficiary of the generative AI boom, valued at $13.8 billion following a funding round in the spring of 2024. Meta was among the investors in that round, which raised $1 billion.
This potential investment would mark a significant shift for Meta, a company that has largely relied on internal research for its AI developments. The move comes as rival tech giants, such as Microsoft, Google, and Amazon, continue to make substantial investments in the AI sector. Microsoft, for instance, has invested over $13 billion in OpenAI, while Google and Amazon have been backing competing startups like Anthropic.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has made AI the company’s chief priority, announcing plans in January to spend up to $65 billion on related projects this year. The company also aims to make its Llama AI model the global industry standard, with its chatbot used by 1 billion people per month on its social media platforms.
The news follows reports from last month that Meta was reorganizing its generative artificial intelligence team to accelerate the rollouts of products and features. The reorganization involves dividing the team into two groups to streamline operations and clarify roles, enhancing the company’s competitive edge in the rapidly evolving AI industry.
In other AI news, small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are increasingly embracing AI to compete against large enterprises. By automating processes, augmenting talent, and accelerating decision-making, AI enables smaller firms to bypass legacy systems and leap directly into an AI-first business model. Data from Verizon Business’ 2025 State of Small Business Survey shows that 38% of SMBs are integrating AI into their operations, with 28% deploying AI for marketing and social media, and 24% using it for written communications.
This potential investment by Meta in Scale AI underscores the growing importance of AI in the tech industry and the strategic moves being made to stay ahead in the competitive landscape.
Q: What is Scale AI known for?
A: Scale AI is known for providing data labeling services to help businesses train machine learning models. It has been a significant beneficiary of the generative AI boom.
Q: How much is Meta considering investing in Scale AI?
A: Meta is reportedly considering an investment of over $10 billion in Scale AI, which would be its largest-ever outside expenditure on AI.
Q: Why is this investment significant for Meta?
A: This investment would mark a significant shift for Meta, a company that has largely relied on internal research for its AI developments. It reflects Meta's commitment to staying competitive in the AI sector.
Q: What are other tech giants doing in the AI sector?
A: Other tech giants like Microsoft, Google, and Amazon are making substantial investments in AI. Microsoft has invested over $13 billion in OpenAI, while Google and Amazon are backing competing startups like Anthropic.
Q: How are small and medium-sized businesses using AI?
A: SMBs are increasingly integrating AI into their operations to compete against large enterprises. They are using AI for automating processes, marketing, and written communications.