Who's Alexandr Wang, 28-year-old Scale AI CEO now joining Meta?
What's the story
Meta has announced a massive investment in Scale AI, a leading data-labeling start-up.
The tech giant will pay nearly $14.3 billion for a 49% stake in the company, which is now valued at over $29 billion.
Alexandr Wang, the CEO and co-founder of Scale AI, will join Meta as part of this deal. He will also continue to serve on Scale's board.
Career trajectory
Wang's vision for Scale AI
Born in 1997 to Chinese immigrant physicist parents, Wang, who dropped out of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) after his freshman year, co-founded Scale AI with Lucy Guo in 2016.
The company was launched through Y Combinator, a prominent Silicon Valley start-up incubator.
Despite his early exit from college, Wang's vision for Scale AI was expansive.
He wanted the company to "power any human-powered process for any company," he told Y Combinator's blog in 2016.
Financial success
Youngest self-made billionaire
In 2021, just five years after co-founding Scale AI, Wang became the youngest self-made billionaire in the world at 24.
His company reached unicorn status with a $100 million investment from Peter Thiel's Founders Fund in 2019.
Today, Forbes estimates his net worth at $3.6 billion.
Wang has often shared his thoughts on building businesses and the importance of focusing on business growth over other aspects.
His company now holds major defense and government contracts in the US and globally.
Policy impact
Testimony to Congress
Wang has been a frequent visitor to Washington, DC, as Congress and the White House consider AI policy.
He attended closed-door AI-focused panel discussions led by former Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, along with other major tech CEOs.
In his written testimony, he emphasized that US national security depends on AI, and its efficient adoption will define future warfare.
Earlier in 2023, he testified before a House subcommittee on military uses for AI.
Open letter
Open letter to Trump
On January 21, a day after Donald Trump's second inauguration, Wang penned an open letter outlining five ways the president could advance AI in his first 100 days.
The letter was published by Scale AI in a full-page ad in The Washington Post.
In it, he urged the US government to spend more on data and computing like tech giants and establish an interagency task force to review regulations for job growth in AI.
New position
Wang's note to Scale employees
Wang is set to join Meta as part of the company's AI efforts. He will be working on Meta's superintelligence arm, with more details about the team to be announced soon.
In a note announcing his departure to Scale employees, Wang said it was "unimaginable" not being a Scalien but realized this was a unique moment for both him and Scale.