June 12, 2025 — Imagine a 28-year-old holding the keys to the future of artificial intelligence (AI). That’s Alexandr Wang—the young genius behind Scale AI, a company that powers the biggest AI breakthroughs while staying mostly under the public radar. Now, Meta has dropped nearly $15 billion to acquire a massive stake in his company and bring him on board to lead a new AI lab focused on one mission: building superintelligence—AI that surpasses human intelligence. This bold move is shaking Silicon Valley to its core and could have ripple effects across the global tech landscape, including the NRI community.

Who Is Alexandr Wang—and Why Should You Care?

Wang isn’t your typical tech mogul. He’s a low-profile MIT dropout who founded Scale AI at just 19. The company’s superpower? Organizing and labeling data that trains cutting-edge AI systems. Think of it as refining crude oil into high-performance fuel—without Scale AI, many AI engines at companies like OpenAI, Microsoft, and Meta wouldn’t function properly.

His story is particularly powerful for NRI readers: the son of immigrant parents, Wang rose to become the world’s youngest self-made billionaire at age 24. Today, his net worth exceeds $3.6 billion. He’s living proof of how ambition and opportunity can align in America’s tech ecosystem.

Why Meta Is Betting on Him

Meta—the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp—is placing a huge bet: $14.8 billion for a 49% stake in Scale AI. The deal also installs Wang as head of Meta’s new lab focused on developing artificial general intelligence (AGI)—AI that can outthink humans.

Meta’s move is a response to its lagging performance in the AI arms race. Its latest models have failed to capture attention, and top researchers have defected to competitors. With Wang, Meta gets more than just technical talent—they get access to the core infrastructure that fuels their rivals. Scale AI has quietly supported the data pipelines of every major AI firm, giving Wang rare visibility into the industry’s most sensitive strategies.

Now, Meta owns a front-row seat to that intelligence.

Why the Entire Tech Industry Is Nervous

Here’s the kicker: every time a top AI company builds a new model, they likely use Scale AI to prepare the training data. That means Wang has had insight into their next moves long before the public ever sees them.

Now that Meta has bought in, rivals like Google, OpenAI, and Amazon are worried. Have they been inadvertently feeding strategic data to a future competitor?

Wang’s rise offers an important lesson to the NRI entrepreneurial community: you don’t need to be the loudest in the room. If you build something that’s indispensable, everyone will come knocking. His journey is a roadmap for creating value in crowded markets.

The Big Picture: Superintelligence

Meta’s new lab under Wang isn’t just working on faster chatbots. The goal is superintelligence—AI that can revolutionize problem-solving in medicine, education, climate science, and more. The implications for NRIs and India’s growth are massive. Such a breakthrough could:

• Accelerate drug discovery
• Transform remote education
• Optimize infrastructure and governance

But Wang’s strength lies in data infrastructure—not AI theory. Critics question whether he’s the right leader for such a research-heavy mission. Still, his network is unrivaled. He’s lived with OpenAI’s Sam Altman, has deep connections in Washington and Silicon Valley, and even made headlines with a full-page ad declaring: “America must win the AI war.”

Clearly, Wang doesn’t just see AI as a product—he sees it as geopolitics.

What’s at Stake?

This $15 billion move could be the most pivotal decision in AI’s future. Meta plans to invest $65 billion in AI in 2025 alone. If Wang’s leadership pays off, Meta could leapfrog competitors and take the lead in the race toward artificial general intelligence.

And that race isn’t just technical—it’s geopolitical. Whoever dominates superintelligence will shape:

• Global economic power
• Defense capabilities
• Ethical standards in AI

Regulators are already watching. Meta structured the deal carefully to avoid a complete acquisition, likely aiming to dodge antitrust scrutiny after past backlash over its purchases of Instagram and WhatsApp.

Why This Matters to the NRI Community

Wang’s success offers a powerful message: build quietly, build deeply, and build for the future. He didn’t chase the spotlight—he built an engine that powers it. His story resonates with many NRIs who understand the importance of perseverance, technical skill, and timing.

Whether you’re in Silicon Valley, Bengaluru, or London, this story is a reminder that the next tectonic shift in AI won’t just come from flashy announcements—it will come from the infrastructure, data, and relationships beneath the surface.

As Meta and Wang pursue superintelligence, the question isn’t just “Will they succeed?” but “What kind of future will they create—and who gets to shape it?”