Mirror Review
June 9th, 2025
Meta Platforms Inc. is reportedly in talks to make a massive investment of over $10 billion in Scale AI, a move that could change the AI landscape and set the stage for the next phase of innovation.
If the Scale AI Investment deal is finalized, it would mark Meta’s largest-ever external AI investment—and one of the biggest private funding rounds in tech history.
It also signals Meta’s growing determination to lead the race in generative AI, joining rivals like Google and Microsoft in making bold strategic moves.
Key Takeaways from the Meta–Scale AI Deal
- The Investment:
Meta is in serious talks to invest over $10 billion in Scale AI, a startup that helps train AI systems by providing large, labeled datasets. While the deal isn’t finalized yet, the size of the investment clearly shows how important AI has become to Meta’s future.
- Why Scale AI Matters:
Founded in 2016, Scale AI has become a major force in the AI ecosystem. It provides the critical service of labeling vast amounts of data, which companies like Microsoft, OpenAI, and Meta itself use to train and refine their AI models.
- A Big Shift for Meta:
While tech rivals like Google and Microsoft have poured money into outside AI startups, Meta has mostly built its AI tools in-house. This possible investment in Scale AI marks a major change—showing that Meta is now open to working closely with outside partners to stay ahead in the AI race.
- Scale AI’s Soaring Value:
In 2024, Scale AI was valued at nearly $14 billion, with Meta already among its investors. And it’s growing fast—its revenue is expected to more than double this year, jumping from $870 million in 2024 to $2 billion in 2025.
Why This Scale AI Investment Matters
This partnership could be a win for both sides. For Meta, it means gaining a real advantage in the race to lead in AI.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has made it clear: AI is Meta’s top priority, and the company plans to invest billions in it.
So by teaming up with Scale AI, Meta can improve its Llama language models, which already reach more than a billion people every month across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
On the other hand, for Scale AI, having Meta as a major backer brings more than just money—it offers long-term support and resources.
Scale AI CEO, Alexandr Wang, has also taken on a bigger role in Washington, pushing for strong U.S. leadership in AI. He also told policymakers, the three pillars of AI are “chips, talent, and data,” and this deal helps secure Scale AI’s leadership in that crucial third pillar—data.
How AI Training Has Evolved
Scale AI’s journey mirrors the growth of AI itself. It started by labeling images for self-driving cars, but soon shifted to organizing huge text datasets needed to train large language models like ChatGPT.
As AI systems get more advanced, they need better, more detailed training data. To meet that demand, Scale AI now works with contributors who have serious expertise:
- As of early 2025, 12% of its expert contributors had a PhD.
- Over 40% held a master’s degree, law degree, or MBA.
- These experts help fine-tune AI tools for highly specialized areas like healthcare and tax law, using a method called reinforcement learning.
A Shared Vision for Defense
The two companies also find common ground in defense technology.
Meta recently partnered with Anduril Industries, a defense firm, and now allows its AI models to be used by government agencies.
That fits right in with Scale AI’s work with the U.S. government.
Furthermore, the companies have already collaborated on Defense Llama, a version of Meta’s model tailored for military applications.
Additionally, Wang, a vocal China hawk, has actively cultivated relationships with lawmakers concerned about global competition in AI, further deepening the synergy between the two firms.
Conclusion
Meta’s potential $10 billion+ Scale AI investment isn’t just a big funding round—it’s a strategic partnership that could help shape the future of artificial intelligence.
It shows just how vital high-quality data is to building better AI—and proves that Meta is ready to make bold, outside investments to stay at the forefront.
This partnership could accelerate progress in everything from social media tools to defense systems, and bring more powerful, reliable AI into the mainstream.
