Meta is in talks to invest over $10 billion in AI startup Scale AI, Bloomberg reports. This would be Meta’s biggest AI outside spend ever.
Scale AI helps companies label data to train machine learning models. Its clients include Microsoft and OpenAI. The startup is riding the generative AI boom, valued at $13.8 billion after a $1 billion round in spring 2024. Meta was part of that round.
Meta and Scale AI haven’t commented yet. 
The move signals a shift for Meta, which usually focuses on internal AI research. Rival giants Microsoft, Google, and Amazon have all been dropping billions on AI startups and projects.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has made AI the top priority. He announced plans in January to spend up to $65 billion on AI projects this year. Meta also aims to push its Llama AI model as a global standard, powering chat on Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp with 1 billion monthly users.
Meta recently reorganized its generative AI team to speed up product rollouts, splitting it into two groups to streamline operations.
Separately, SMBs are ramping up AI adoption. Verizon Business data shows 38% of SMBs now use AI, with 28% leveraging it for marketing and social media.
No official word yet from Meta or Scale AI.
