Meta Drops $15 Billion on Superintelligence—Zuck Says, “Let’s Make AI Smarter Than Us, What Could Go Wrong?”
Mark Zuckerberg aims for artificial superintelligence with a jaw-dropping stake in Scale AI. Because if the Metaverse didn’t work, why not aim for Skynet?
Zuck’s Big Bet: From Virtual Avatars to Virtual Overlords?
Just when we thought Meta was done with wild bets (RIP Metaverse), ol’ Zucky’s back swinging for the digital fences—this time with a $15 billion investment aimed at creating “superintelligence”. Yep, that’s AI that’s not just smarter than you, but smarter than everyone.
The plan? Buy a 49% stake in Scale AI, a hotshot US startup run by 28-year-old AI wunderkind Alexandr Wang (yes, he’s the guy who just landed a Pentagon contract to power military ops). The goal? Leapfrog artificial general intelligence (AGI) and head straight into the sci-fi zone of superintelligence.
“A wartime CEO move,” said one analyst. And not a single necktie was worn in the process.
Meta’s Mega Move: The Details
| What’s Happening | Details |
|---|---|
| Investment Amount | $15 billion (approx. £11 billion) |
| Stake Acquired | 49% of Scale AI |
| CEO of Scale AI | Alexandr Wang, 28 |
| Goal | Achieve computerised superintelligence |
| AGI Status | Still science fiction, basically |
| Meta’s Last Big Bet | The Metaverse (which flopped harder than dial-up in 2025) |
Why Superintelligence?
Superintelligence is the next big unicorn in tech: a form of AI that would outperform humans at literally everything—from rocket science to writing Dad jokes.
Meta’s move isn’t just about showing off. It’s also about keeping pace with AI titans like:
- OpenAI (backed by Microsoft)
- Google DeepMind
- Anthropic (Sam Altman’s side hustle if you believe the memes)
Meta’s previous moonshot, the Metaverse, was torched online and basically became the virtual equivalent of an empty food court. So now? Full speed ahead to Skynet.
Expert Reactions: Somewhere Between “Yikes” and “Sure, Why Not?”
Prof. Michael Wooldridge (Oxford)
“Meta flopped with the Metaverse. Now they’re swinging at superintelligence. But AI still trips on basic puzzles, so maybe don’t panic yet.”
Dr. Andrew Rogoyski (Surrey University)
“Meta’s not desperate for AGI like OpenAI is. This is more like collecting rare Pokémon cards—except the Pokémon are brilliant engineers.”
Should We All Be Worried? Europe Thinks So.
Calls are growing in Europe to start a CERN-style AI project—a public, transparent initiative to keep this tech in check and not just leave it to tech bros in hoodies.
“If you build superintelligence behind closed doors, don’t be surprised if it acts like a Bond villain,” said Wooldridge, paraphrased but on point.
From Metaverse to Megabrain: Meta’s Pivot Timeline
| Year | Project | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2021–2023 | Metaverse | Billions spent, avatars with no legs |
| 2024 | Llama 3 AI model | Respectable entry into AI arms race |
| 2025 | Scale AI stake | Attempt to go full Iron Man Jarvis mode |
Who’s Alexandr Wang Again?
- 28 years old
- Co-founder of Scale AI
- Landed Pentagon’s ThunderForge contract
- Raised early funding from Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund
- Now reportedly taking a senior role at Meta
This kid’s résumé reads like ChatGPT wrote it on “ambition” mode.
Final Thoughts: What Could Go Wrong?
Meta’s $15B splash into the world of superintelligence might seem like a genius play—or a Bond villain origin story.
The tech still flubs high school math problems and logic puzzles, so don’t expect HAL 9000 just yet. But still, when trillion-dollar companies start throwing Star Wars-level funding into machine minds, it might be time to double-check your fridge magnets don’t have Wi-Fi.
