Why Is Meta Putting A Massive Bet on Artificial Superintelligence? (It’s Not What You Think)

Meta is doubling down on artificial superintelligence, launching a full-scale charge. CEO Mark Zuckerberg has personally led the charge, recruiting elite researchers and offering staggering compensation packages, some reported as high as $100 million, to build a new Superintelligence research team at Menlo Park.

Massive Investment in Scale AI

Meta has invested $14.3 billion for a 49 percent stake in Scale AI, a leading data-labeling company essential to large language model training. The deal struck fast. Scale’s CEO Alexandr Wang is now spearheading Meta’s Superintelligence lab. This move mirrors Meta’s broader strategy to secure both top talent and essential data infrastructure to accelerate AI development.

Meta AI Superintelligence Team Recruitment Scandal

Meta has reportedly tried to land AI luminaries like Ilya Sutskever, co-founder of OpenAI, and Daniel Gross from Safe Superintelligence, though not all negotiations succeeded. Meanwhile, three notable former OpenAI Zurich researchers recently joined Wang’s unit, further fueling speculation about Meta’s aggressive hiring tactics.

Internal Friction and Industry Skepticism

Not everyone at Meta shares Zuckerberg’s vision. Chief AI Scientist Yann LeCun has expressed doubts over whether large language models are the true path to superintelligence, highlighting internal tension over AI strategy. Critics and investors are watching closely as Meta calibrates its direction following the lukewarm launch of Llama 4.

Why is Meta AI Superintelligence Gambit So Crucial?

Meta’s strategy hinges on two major bets: talent and data. By investing heavily in AI staffing and scaling AI’s infrastructure, the company aims to challenge rivals OpenAI and Google DeepMind in the race for artificial general intelligence.

UBS recently lifted Meta’s target price amid growing investor confidence in its AI pivot, driven by Scale AI’s platform and its integration into Meta’s roadmap. Meanwhile, reports claim that Zuckerberg is personally sending lavish offers, some of which match the $100 million figure, although some recruits have dismissed the rumours as exaggerated.

Whether it succeeds or fails under its ambitious goals, this initiative could reshape the future of AI development and define the next decade of technological power struggles.