Meta Acquires 49% of Scale AI as OpenAI and Tech Giants Shift Data Partners

Meta Platforms announced a $14.8 billion deal to acquire a 49% stake in Scale AI, a leading provider of labeled data for machine learning. Following the disclosure, OpenAI confirmed it has reduced its reliance on Scale AI over the past year, now partnering with specialized firms such as Mercor for AI training data. Interim CEO Jason Droege stressed Scale AI will remain independent and committed to data security. Other major players—including Google, Microsoft and xAI—have also scaled back or ended relationships with Scale AI in response to Meta’s investment. This move underscores Meta’s strategy to bolster its AI ecosystem through equity investments, talent recruitment and partnerships, while prompting competitors to diversify their data supply chains.