Meta’s AI Superteam: $14B Investment & Poaching for “Superintelligence”

Meta’s pursuit of “superintelligence” is intensifying with a $14 billion investment in Scale AI and an aggressive poaching strategy, reportedly offering up to $100 million to top AI talent. Mark Zuckerberg is personally leading this recruitment drive, aiming to build a formidable AI superteam capable of developing systems smarter than humans. This dual approach signals Meta’s serious commitment to AI dominance.
Earlier this month, Meta’s significant investment in Scale AI, which includes placing its founder Alexandr Wang in charge of a new “superintelligence team,” demonstrated its long-term vision for advanced AI. This internal lab is specifically tasked with developing hypothetical AI systems that surpass human intelligence, highlighting Meta’s ambitious goals in the field.
In parallel, Zuckerberg has reportedly spent months compiling a “secret list” of elite AI engineers and researchers, many of whom are currently employed by competitors like OpenAI and Google’s DeepMind. His direct outreach and the rumored $100 million compensation packages underscore the urgency and importance Meta places on securing the best minds for this ambitious “superintelligence” project.
The lavish offers have drawn criticism from OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, who called them “crazy” and expressed concerns about their potential impact on company culture. Nevertheless, Meta’s multi-pronged approach – strategic investment coupled with aggressive talent acquisition – clearly positions the company as a major player in the race to achieve advanced artificial intelligence.