Alexandr Wang: Meta's New AI Head and His Vision for Superintelligence

On June 12, Alexandr Wang, the 28-year-old tech entrepreneur, stepped down as CEO of Scale AI to take on a new challenge: leading Meta’s superintelligence division. Meta’s investment of $14.3 billion for a minority stake in Scale AI is a significant move, but the real prize is Wang himself. His ambition and insights into AI data are expected to accelerate Meta’s AI efforts, which have faced delays and underwhelming performance this year.

Alexandr Wang’s Ambition and Impact

Wang, who dropped out of MIT at 19, has already made a significant impact in the tech industry. By 24, he became the world’s youngest self-made billionaire by building Scale AI into a major player in the AI data labeling industry. His company’s success is attributed to treating data as a “first-class problem,” a philosophy that has earned him admiration from figures like OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.

However, Wang’s relentless focus on growth has come with trade-offs. Scale AI has faced criticism for issues with its contract workers, including delayed, reduced, or canceled payments. Lucy Guo, a co-founder who left in 2018, highlighted this as a point of contention. Scale AI has since stated that such instances are rare and that they are continuously improving.

The Stakes of Superintelligence

Wang’s new role at Meta makes him a key decision-maker in the development of superintelligent AI, a technology that could have profound implications. In a policy paper co-authored with Eric Schmidt and Dan Hendrycks, Wang warns that superintelligent AI could be “the most precarious technological development since the nuclear bomb.” This underscores the critical importance of his role and the need for responsible development.

Leadership and Vision

Wang’s leadership style is characterized by high attention to detail and a focus on urgency. He emphasizes the importance of culture and ensuring that people are in positions where they can excel and grow. His leadership approach has evolved to balance the need for quick progress with the development of a healthy organizational culture.

Preparing for AGI

Wang is also vocal about the threat posed by China’s AI ambitions. He believes that the agentic world, where businesses and governments increasingly rely on AI agents, is the future. While this vision is exciting, it also presents significant challenges. Ensuring a smooth transition to an agentic economy requires careful planning and the right infrastructure.

The Role of Data Annotation

Despite advancements in AI, Wang sees a growing need for data annotation. As AI models become more sophisticated, they will continue to find deficiencies that require human intervention. This means that data annotation is likely to become an even larger part of the economy, rather than being phased out.

Scale AI’s Unique Position

Scale AI has positioned itself as a technology company as well as a data company. By treating data as a first-class problem, they have become a key player in the AI industry. Their platform underpins the data pillar for the entire industry, enabling businesses and governments to build and deploy AI applications more effectively.

Wang’s move to Meta signals a new chapter in the AI race, one where his ambition and insights could play a crucial role in shaping the future of technology.