June 21, 2025

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Meta AI Talent War, OpenAI Counters $100M Offers

Meta is making significant investments in AI talent and infrastructure, reflecting CEO Mark Zuckerberg's push to catch up in the AI race. After a failed attempt to acquire AI startup Safe Superintelligence for $32 billion, Meta is now trying to hire its CEO, Daniel Gross, along with former GitHub CEO Nat Friedman, and considering investing in their venture firm, NFDG. These efforts follow Meta's $14.3 billion investment in Scale AI, acquiring a 49% stake and bringing on its founder, Alexandr Wang. Meta also considered acquiring Perplexity AI and even attempted to hire its CEO, Aravind Srinivas. Meta's CTO, Andrew Bosworth, noted that OpenAI is countering Meta's high-paying job offers to AI talent, with OpenAI's CEO mentioning Meta offered some employees $100 million signing bonuses. Other companies like Microsoft, Amazon, and Google are also investing heavily in AI. Outside of Meta, AI is being applied across various sectors. Animaj, a children's media company, secured $85 million in investment led by HarbourView to expand its AI-powered animation tools, which reduce animation time by 85%. Dot Ai, an asset intelligence technology company, began trading on Nasdaq under the symbols "DAIC" and "DAICW" after raising $12 million to support growth. Ascendion has partnered with ServiceNow to boost AI business transformation. CVS Health is using AI to improve patient outcomes and streamline pharmacy workflows, while health insurance companies are employing AI to decide on healthcare treatment approvals, raising concerns about potential limitations in patient care. The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) is addressing the misuse of AI technology, having addressed over 3,500 violating products since April 2025. UFC is leveraging AI to enhance fan experience and worker efficiency through the UFC Insights Engine developed with IBM. Latin America is also investing in data centers to support the AI boom, with Brazil and Mexico leading in clean industrial projects. Despite the advancements, there are cautions against over-reliance on AI, as research indicates AI struggles with complex logic and lacks genuine reasoning.

Key Takeaways

  • Meta is aggressively pursuing AI talent, including executives from Safe Superintelligence and Scale AI, after a failed attempt to acquire Safe Superintelligence for $32 billion.
  • Meta invested $14.3 billion in Scale AI for a 49% stake and considered acquiring Perplexity AI.
  • OpenAI is countering Meta's job offers to AI talent, with reported signing bonuses reaching $100 million.
  • Animaj received an $85 million investment to expand its AI-powered animation tools, which reduce animation time by 85%.
  • Dot Ai began trading on Nasdaq under the symbols "DAIC" and "DAICW" after raising $12 million.
  • Ascendion partnered with ServiceNow to enhance AI business transformation.
  • CVS Health is using AI to improve patient care and streamline pharmacy workflows.
  • Health insurance companies are using AI to make decisions about healthcare treatments, raising concerns about limiting patient care.
  • China has cracked down on AI misuse, addressing over 3,500 violating products since April 2025.
  • UFC is using AI, through the UFC Insights Engine developed with IBM, to improve fan experience and worker efficiency.

Meta eyes AI talent Daniel Gross after Safe Superintelligence deal fails

Meta tried to buy Ilya Sutskever's AI startup, Safe Superintelligence, valued at $32 billion, but Sutskever declined. Now, Meta plans to hire Safe Superintelligence's CEO, Daniel Gross, and former GitHub CEO Nat Friedman. Meta will also invest in Gross and Friedman's venture fund, NFDG. This move is part of Mark Zuckerberg's strategy to strengthen Meta's AI team amid competition with companies like OpenAI. OpenAI's CEO Sam Altman said Meta offered some employees $100 million signing bonuses.

Meta considered buying Perplexity AI before Scale AI investment

Meta talked with Perplexity AI about buying the company before investing $14.3 billion in Scale AI. The deal with Perplexity AI did not happen because the two companies could not agree. Meta's CEO Mark Zuckerberg is trying to improve his company's AI efforts. Meta now owns 49% of Scale AI, and Scale AI's founder Alexandr Wang will join Meta. Meta also tried to buy Safe Superintelligence earlier this year.

Meta plans to hire AI experts for new AI lab

Meta is in talks to hire Daniel Gross, CEO of Safe Superintelligence, and Nat Friedman for its new AI lab. Meta also plans to invest in their venture capital firm, NFDG. This follows Meta's recent investment in Scale AI and hiring of Alexandr Wang. Meta tried to buy Safe Superintelligence, but founder Ilya Sutskever refused the offer. Meta's spokesperson said they will share more information about their AI plans soon.

Meta seeks Safe Superintelligence CEO after failed acquisition attempt

Meta tried to buy the AI startup Safe Superintelligence for $32 billion, but the deal fell through. Now, Meta is trying to hire Safe Superintelligence's CEO, Daniel Gross, and former GitHub CEO Nat Friedman. Meta is also considering investing in Gross and Friedman's venture firm, NFDG. These hires would boost Meta's AI superintelligence lab. Earlier this month, Meta announced Alexandr Wang and other executives from Scale AI would join the company.

Meta invests billions in AI talent amid talent war

Meta is spending billions to strengthen its artificial intelligence operations. The company is reportedly hiring former GitHub CEO Nat Friedman and Daniel Gross, CEO of Safe Super Intelligence. This follows Meta's $14.3 billion investment in Scale AI and the hiring of its CEO, Alexander Wong. Meta wants top AI researchers to improve its AI models. Other companies like Microsoft, OpenAI, Amazon, and Google are also investing heavily in AI.

Meta considered buying Perplexity AI before Scale AI investment deal

Meta Platforms Inc. talked about buying AI search startup Perplexity AI before investing in Scale AI. The two companies did not reach an agreement. Meta also tried to hire Perplexity's CEO, Aravind Srinivas, for its new AI team. These efforts show Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg's desire to catch up in the AI race. Meta has invested $14.3 billion in Scale AI, gaining a 49% stake.

Meta CTO says OpenAI counters job offers to AI startup employees

Meta's technology chief, Andrew Bosworth, said that OpenAI is countering Meta's high-paying job offers to AI talent. Meta is hiring people to build AI that is better than human intelligence. OpenAI's CEO mentioned Meta offered $100 million signing bonuses, but employees stayed with OpenAI. Meta recently invested in Scale AI to bring on Alexandr Wang and is hiring Daniel Gross and Nat Friedman from Safe Superintelligence.

AI in health insurance may limit patient care

Health insurance companies are using AI to decide whether to approve or deny healthcare treatments. Insurers use algorithms to determine if requested care is medically necessary. If a treatment is denied, patients can appeal, choose a different treatment, or pay out of pocket. There is concern that AI systems may withhold necessary care to save money. Some states are proposing regulations for AI in insurance, but federal regulation may be needed.

AI in health insurance may limit patient care

Health insurance companies are using AI to decide whether to approve or deny healthcare treatments. Insurers use algorithms to determine if requested care is medically necessary. If a treatment is denied, patients can appeal, choose a different treatment, or pay out of pocket. There is concern that AI systems may withhold necessary care to save money. Some states are proposing regulations for AI in insurance, but federal regulation may be needed. Insurers have refused to reveal how the algorithms they use work.

Animaj gets $85M investment for AI animation tech

HarbourView is leading an $85 million investment in Animaj, an AI-powered children's media company. Animaj owns brands like Kidibli and HeyKids. The company uses AI animation tools to reduce animation time by 85%. Animaj plans to use the investment to expand its AI-powered model. HarbourView and other investors like Bpifrance and J.P. Morgan are supporting Animaj's growth.

China cracks down on AI misuse, addresses 3,500+ violating products

Since April 2025, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) has been working to fix the misuse of AI technology.

CVS Health uses AI to improve patient care

CVS Health uses AI to improve patient outcomes and streamline pharmacy workflows. They use machine learning to personalize medication reminders and support. AI helps predict patient needs and behaviors to provide tailored support. During the COVID-19 pandemic, CVS used AI to manage testing and vaccine distribution. AI improves patient adherence and automates pharmacist outreach.

AI's limits: Overreliance on technology is the real risk

The real risk with AI is over-trusting systems with limitations, not AI becoming super-intelligent. Apple's research shows AI struggles with complex logic puzzles. AI is useful for pattern recognition but lacks genuine reasoning. India can benefit from AI in areas like translation and agriculture. However, India should focus on AI that helps humans, rather than replacing them, and avoid the hype around artificial general intelligence (AGI).

Dot Ai begins trading on Nasdaq after business deal

Dot Ai, an asset intelligence technology company, has completed its business combination and will trade on Nasdaq under the symbols "DAIC" and "DAICW" starting June 23, 2025. The company raised $12 million to support growth, including expanding R&D and manufacturing in Puerto Rico. Dot Ai's technology helps companies manage supply chains using AI and proprietary software. The company partners with W\u00fcrth Industry USA and aims to disrupt legacy technologies.

Ascendion partners with ServiceNow to boost AI business transformation

Ascendion, an AI-driven software company, has joined ServiceNow's Consulting and Implementation Partner Program. Ascendion will help businesses use AI beyond basic integration. ServiceNow is considered a must-buy AI stock by analysts.

Latin America invests in data centers amid AI boom

Latin America is building many data centers to use its land, water, and energy resources. This is happening as investments in AI increase. The Inter-American Development Bank predicts data center investments will rise, boosting economic growth. Investors are also putting money into solar energy development in Latin America. Brazil and Mexico make up 59% of global clean industrial projects.

UFC uses AI to improve fan experience and worker efficiency

UFC is using AI to help fans understand fights better in real time. The UFC Insights Engine, developed with IBM, captures live data and turns it into clear analytics. This helps fans understand rivalries and judging decisions. UFC also gives employees time to explore AI to improve efficiency. AI is integrated to make the fan experience easier.

Sources

Meta AI Daniel Gross Safe Superintelligence Ilya Sutskever Nat Friedman NFDG Mark Zuckerberg OpenAI Sam Altman Perplexity AI Scale AI Alexandr Wang AI talent AI acquisition AI investment AI lab AI models Microsoft Amazon Google Aravind Srinivas Andrew Bosworth Health insurance AI in healthcare Animaj AI animation HarbourView China AI misuse Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) CVS Health AI in pharmacy AI limitations Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) Dot Ai Nasdaq Ascendion ServiceNow AI business transformation Latin America Data centers UFC AI fan experience IBM UFC Insights Engine