US EditionMeta approached Perplexity before massive Scale AI deal
- Meta attempted to aggressively expand its AI capabilities in 2025 by investing $14.3 billion for a 49% stake in Scale AI and pursuing acquisitions like Perplexity AI and Safe Superintelligence.
- This drive followed Meta's recognition of fierce competition from OpenAI and Alphabet, alongside internal challenges including losing AI researchers despite offers of $2 million or more annually.
- Meta's failed acquisition attempts included Safe Superintelligence, valued at $32 billion and co-founded by ex-OpenAI scientist Ilya Sutskever, and Perplexity AI, which walked away from takeover talks.
- OpenAI CEO Sam Altman stated Meta offered signing bonuses up to $100 million and considers OpenAI its biggest competitor, while Meta secured talents like Scale AI founder Alexandr Wang and executives Daniel Gross and Nat Friedman.
- Meta's moves suggest a continued aggressive strategy to build a superintelligence lab, though current efforts have underperformed and talent losses may hinder its aim to lead AI development first.
27 Articles
27 Articles
Meta held talks to buy Thinking Machines, Perplexity, and Safe Superintelligence
At this point, it's becoming easier to say which AI startups Mark Zuckerberg hasn't looked at acquiring. In addition to Ilya Sutskever's Safe Superintelligence (SSI), sources tell me the Meta CEO recently discussed buying ex-OpenAI CTO Mira Murati's Thinking Machines Lab and Perplexity, the AI-native Google rival. None of these talks progressed to the formal offer stage for various reasons, including disagreements over deal prices and strategy, …
Meta Poaches the CEO of a $32 Billion AI Startup — After Trying to Buy the Company and Being Told No
Meta is bringing on Daniel Gross, the CEO of Safe Superintelligence, and former GitHub CEO Nat Friedman as members of its Superintelligence lab under Alexandr Wang.
Meta Discussed Buying Perplexity Before Investing in Scale AI
Meta Platforms Inc. held discussions with artificial intelligence search startup Perplexity AI Inc. about a possible takeover before moving ahead with a multibillion-dollar investment in Scale AI, according to people familiar with the matter.
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