Data is the battleground, and Scale’s pipelines may just be the most valuable trenches.” This comment in a recent industry report captures the thinking behind Meta’s splashy $15 billion buyout of Scale AI a development that has stunned Silicon Valley and beyond.

Alexandr Wang, once the youngest self-made billionaire in the world, has agreed to join Meta to work on AI “superintelligence,” leaving the startup that made him rich after dropping out of MIT. Alexandr Wang’s Scale AI just inked a $14.

Alexandr Wang, son of nuclear physicists, dropped out of MIT to co-found Scale AI, a company providing crucial data for AI development. Scale AI's rapid growth led to a $7 billion valuation, making Wang the world's youngest self-made billionaire.