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Meta invests $14.3B in Scale AI to kick-start superintelligence lab

nytimes.com

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Re: Meta invests $14.3B in Scale AI to kick-start superintelligence lab

#111

Post by Bjorkbat »

laborcontract wrote: post #98
krosaen wrote: post #92

Anyone know what scale does these days beyond labeling tools that would make them this interesting to Meta? Data labeling tools seem more of a traditional software application and not much to do with AI models themselves that would be somewhat easily replicated, but guessing my impression is out of date. Also now apparently their CEO is leaving [1], so the idea that they were super impressed with him doesn't seem to…

This is by all indications the world's most expensive acquihire of a single person. Reporting has been that Zuckerberg has seen Wang as a confidant of sorts, and has proposed a vision of AI that's said to be non consensus.

Fair enough. If you aren't willing to give your friend $14 billion to join your company so you can hang out more, then are you two really friends?

Re: Meta invests $14.3B in Scale AI to kick-start superintelligence lab

#112

Post by paxys »

krosaen wrote: post #103
laborcontract wrote: post #98

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is by all indications the world's most expensive acquihire of a single person. Reporting has been that Zuckerberg has seen Wang as a confidant of sorts, and has proposed a vision of AI that's said to be non consensus.

but did you see that now Wang is leaving as part of this?

He is leaving to join Meta.

Re: Meta invests $14.3B in Scale AI to kick-start superintelligence lab

#113

Post by laborcontract »

krosaen wrote: post #103
laborcontract wrote: post #98

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is by all indications the world's most expensive acquihire of a single person. Reporting has been that Zuckerberg has seen Wang as a confidant of sorts, and has proposed a vision of AI that's said to be non consensus.

but did you see that now Wang is leaving as part of this?

He is leaving to now work at Meta.

Re: Meta invests $14.3B in Scale AI to kick-start superintelligence lab

#114

Post by vonneumannstan »

akudha wrote: post #84
paxys wrote: post #79

Spending $15B to hire a 28 year old to build you some AI is certainly a move. You can call Zuck many things, but "afraid to take risks" isn't one of them.

What is the big risk here? He has the cash to burn and he has full control of his position. Nothing will happen to him if he wastes a few Billions. He is not some poor single mom who has to decide between fixing her car and paying for kid’s Christmas presents

>What is the big risk here?

That this is clearly the wrong person to hire? Maybe Demis or Ilya is worth $15B but Wang? Extremely odd choice...

Re: Meta invests $14.3B in Scale AI to kick-start superintelligence lab

#115

Post by [deleted] »

krosaen wrote: post #103
laborcontract wrote: post #98

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is by all indications the world's most expensive acquihire of a single person. Reporting has been that Zuckerberg has seen Wang as a confidant of sorts, and has proposed a vision of AI that's said to be non consensus.

but did you see that now Wang is leaving as part of this?

[deleted]

Re: Meta invests $14.3B in Scale AI to kick-start superintelligence lab

#116

Post by vonneumannstan »

deviation wrote: post #81

Reminds me of "Don't dig for the gold, sell the shovels". Could also be read: > Meta spends 10% of last year's revenue to acquire 49% of a top AI data company and poach their leadership, to ensure they are a key player in what could be a ~5-trillion dollar industry by 2033. Meta has a history of this. Acquiring Oculus (and leaning in on VR), Ray-Ban partnership (and leaning in on AR)... etc. These all just seem like…

Of course the actual shovels are GPUs in this case... so it makes your analogy even stranger.

Re: Meta invests $14.3B in Scale AI to kick-start superintelligence lab

#117

Post by paxys »

disgruntledphd2 wrote: post #106
paxys wrote: post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Spending $15B is a risk. Yes they have the money, but we're talking a quarter of Meta's annual income. That's not nothing. And money concerns aside, Meta needs to be a major player in AI. If they have made the wrong bet with Scale AI & Wang then the company will suffer in the long term.

It's surely mostly a stock deal though, right? So they won't take the same hit to free cash flow that they might otherwise do. Still a lot of money and I'm not sure it's worth it. Might be more like Whatsapp than Instagram, tbh.

It's a funding round. Scale doesn't need Meta stock, they need cash to burn.

Re: Meta invests $14.3B in Scale AI to kick-start superintelligence lab

#118

Post by tomrod »

cyanydeez wrote: post #46
tomrod wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd trust Zuck if I had a signed, airtight agreement for a large amount of money he paid into an escrow account for something I owned or was transferring ownership. He's very close to peak homo economicus. (EDIT: this next point is wrong, the oral history I heard referred to Winklevoss pops, not Zuckerberg, and I misremembered) Which makes sense, given his father is deep in actuarial services.

"If I were rich, I'd trust other rich people"

Not what I said. I said if legal machinery were in place, I'd be willing.

I would not trust someone simply because we both have significant personal assets.

Re: Meta invests $14.3B in Scale AI to kick-start superintelligence lab

#119

Post by HDThoreaun »

disgruntledphd2 wrote: post #106
paxys wrote: post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Spending $15B is a risk. Yes they have the money, but we're talking a quarter of Meta's annual income. That's not nothing. And money concerns aside, Meta needs to be a major player in AI. If they have made the wrong bet with Scale AI & Wang then the company will suffer in the long term.

It's surely mostly a stock deal though, right? So they won't take the same hit to free cash flow that they might otherwise do. Still a lot of money and I'm not sure it's worth it. Might be more like Whatsapp than Instagram, tbh.

Meta is doing $10 billion in buybacks a quarter. Cash vs stock deal doesnt make a difference I think

Re: Meta invests $14.3B in Scale AI to kick-start superintelligence lab

#120

Post by komali2 »

nroets wrote: post #93
akudha wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What is the big risk here? He has the cash to burn and he has full control of his position. Nothing will happen to him if he wastes a few Billions. He is not some poor single mom who has to decide between fixing her car and paying for kid’s Christmas presents

If Scale never creates value, he will lose billions of his own money due to his indirect holding in Meta.

I genuinely struggle to understand how that will affect him in any way. Not even any meaningful way, I mean, how could that possible change anything about his life, in any way?
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