Meta sacrifices a heap of money at the altar of AI

The magnitude of Meta's investment in Scale may seem like command of the AI race, but the company's playing catchup

Mark Zuckerberg announced in April that the company would make huge capital expenditures in the coming year to keep up in the race to develop cutting-edge artificial intelligence. He made good on that promise last week with a $15bn AI superintelligence" team that would feature reported nine-figure salaries and a 49% investment in Scale AI. Meta also hired Scale's 28-year-old founder, Alexandr Wang, a former roommate of OpenAI's Sam Altman.

Before Meta's investment, Scale counted most of the major players in AI among its clients, and some of them were less than thrilled with the development. Bloomberg puts it succinctly: Scale AI's Wang Brings to Meta Knowledge of What Everyone Else is Doing. Google, Scale's largest customer, got scared. The tech giant told the startup that their working relationship would end in response to the deal, Reuters reported on Friday.

Revealed: Thousands of UK university students caught cheating using AI

Disney and Universal sue AI image creator Midjourney, alleging copyright infringement

Hey AI! Can ChatGPT help you to manage your money?

Researchers create AI-based tool that restores age-damaged artworks in hours

Keir Starmer says technology can create a better future' as he addresses AI fears

Misinformation about LA Ice protests swirls online: Catnip for rightwing agitators'

US immigration agency flies drones capable of surveillance over LA protests

Software used in surveillance of immigrants has deep ties to the LAPD