Meta Explored Acquisitions of AI Firms Like Thinking Machines
▼ Summary
– Mark Zuckerberg has explored acquiring multiple AI startups, including Safe Superintelligence (SSI), Thinking Machines Lab, and Perplexity, but talks stalled over pricing and strategy disagreements.
– Meta is assembling a high-profile AI team, with Daniel Gross, Nat Friedman, and Alexandr Wang leading efforts, aiming to reboot its AI strategy.
– AI founders like Ilya Sutskever, Mira Murati, and Aravind Srinivas have raised billions at higher valuations instead of joining Meta, delaying product releases.
– Meta is prioritizing AI integration in smart glasses, focusing on unique use cases like egocentric view and audio, while competing with Google’s XR glasses platform.
– Amazon plans to reduce hiring by leveraging AI, with 30% of its code already AI-generated, targeting cost-cutting in sales and customer service.
Meta’s aggressive AI acquisition strategy reveals Zuckerberg’s urgent push to dominate artificial intelligence, with recent discussions targeting high-profile startups like Thinking Machines Lab and Perplexity. While none of these talks advanced to formal offers, they underscore the company’s determination to secure top talent and technology in a fiercely competitive market.
Behind the scenes, Meta is assembling an all-star AI leadership team, including former GitHub CEO Nat Friedman and SSI co-founder Daniel Gross, both reporting to newly hired AI chief Alexandr Wang. The ex-Scale CEO joined Meta after a staggering $14 billion deal, signaling the company’s willingness to pay premium prices for elite expertise. Meanwhile, competitors like OpenAI and Perplexity continue raising billions at soaring valuations, further heating up the AI talent wars.
Industry insiders aren’t surprised by Meta’s willingness to offer nine- or even ten-figure compensation packages to attract the best minds in AI. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s recent comments dismissing Meta’s hiring tactics as culturally detrimental raised eyebrows, especially given his own company’s $6.5 billion investment in Jony Ive’s hardware team. The rivalry highlights how deeply both companies are investing to stay ahead.
Beyond acquisitions, Meta is betting big on AI-powered wearables, with VP Alex Himel confirming that smart glasses represent the company’s ideal form factor for artificial intelligence. The latest Oakley collaboration focuses on optimizing AI capabilities for real-world use, balancing onboard processing with cloud-based solutions. Himel revealed that AI functionality is already the third most-used feature in Meta’s glasses, trailing only audio and photography, but with significant growth potential.
As Google and Apple ramp up their own AI eyewear initiatives, Meta’s multi-year partnership with EssilorLuxottica gives it a head start in hardware integration. The Oakley Meta glasses, developed in under nine months, demonstrate the company’s accelerated timeline for bringing AI wearables to market. Early feedback on prototypes like Orion suggests promising advancements in augmented reality interfaces, including eye-tracking and neural input systems.
Elsewhere in tech, Amazon’s increasing reliance on AI for coding and operations foreshadows workforce reductions, with CEO Andy Jassy openly prioritizing automation. Meanwhile, TikTok’s extended reprieve from U.S. enforcement actions underscores the political complexities surrounding tech regulation.
The race for AI supremacy shows no signs of slowing, with Meta positioning itself as a dominant force through acquisitions, talent recruitment, and wearable technology. As competitors scramble to keep pace, Zuckerberg’s aggressive investments could reshape the industry landscape in the coming years.
(Source: The Verge)
