Kristina Roberts
In Silicon Valley, the race to become the top player in Artificial Intelligence (AI) is heating up fast. Right in the middle of this race is Meta, the company led by Mark Zuckerberg. You might know Meta as the owner of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. But now, Zuckerberg wants Meta to become the leader in building powerful AI systems, also known as “superintelligence.” However, while the company is spending huge amounts of money to win, the profits from these efforts are not coming in just yet.
“Mark Zuckerberg is taking big risks,” said experts watching the tech industry closely. “He’s betting a lot on something that may take a long time to pay off.”
To build these advanced AI tools, Meta is spending billions of dollars. They’re not just buying expensive computers or setting up massive data centers. They’re also hiring the best brains in AI, often by offering more money than other companies like OpenAI or Google. This has started a kind of “talent war” where companies are fighting to hire the smartest people.
In fact, Meta recently spent $14.3 billion to buy a share in Scale AI, a startup run by a 28-year-old billionaire named Alexandr Wang. Not only did they invest in the company, but they also hired Wang himself. This bold move shows just how serious Meta is about getting ahead in the AI game.
But all this spending comes at a cost. Meta’s profits are not growing as fast as before. For the April to June quarter, experts believe the company’s profit grew only 11.5%—this is the slowest growth in the past two years. The total expected profit for this period is around $15.01 billion. At the same time, the company’s costs have gone up by nearly 9%.
Even Meta’s revenue growth has slowed down. It’s expected to be about 14.7% higher than last year during the same time, reaching $44.80 billion. That may sound like a lot, but for a company like Meta, it’s slower than usual. For comparison, this is their weakest revenue growth in seven quarters.
Zuckerberg has taken big bets before. One example is Meta’s augmented reality project, where people wear special headsets to interact with digital objects. Since 2020, this project has already cost Meta more than $60 billion, with very little return. Still, Zuckerberg believes in taking long-term chances, and he’s now doing the same with AI.
But there’s a problem. Meta’s newest AI model, called Llama 4, hasn’t impressed many people. A lot of experts say it still needs work to catch up with models made by OpenAI or Google. This means Meta might not be leading the AI race the way Zuckerberg wants people to think.
To fix this, Zuckerberg has promised to build even bigger AI data centers. These are giant buildings filled with thousands of computers that help power AI tools. He has also promised to invest hundreds of billions of dollars over time to make this vision come true.
Still, some people are asking: Is this really the best time to spend so much money? Meta is still recovering from layoffs and cuts it made last year. Many employees were let go to save money, and the company promised to be more careful with its spending. But now, with the sudden push for superintelligence, it looks like the company is again going into spending mode.
Another challenge for Meta is competition. TikTok is becoming more popular, especially with younger people. This could hurt Meta’s ad business, which is still its main source of income. Also, new U.S. tariffs could affect how much money Meta earns from its global operations. These risks make it even harder for the company to depend only on its future AI dreams.
In simple terms, Meta is walking a tightrope. On one side, there is the dream of being the best in AI. On the other side, there is the pressure to keep making money and keeping investors happy. Zuckerberg seems willing to risk it all to stay in the lead, but the results may not show up any time soon.
Some experts think Zuckerberg’s moves are brave. They say big ideas always need big risks. But others believe Meta is moving too fast without a clear plan. After all, building a superintelligent AI is not just about money or talent—it also takes time, teamwork, and trust.
Meta’s journey in AI is far from over. It may take years before we know whether Zuckerberg’s big bets were smart or foolish. Until then, the company will continue to spend, hire, and build—hoping that one day, all of it will lead to something great.
But as of now, one thing is clear: Meta’s huge spending on AI in the U.S. may not bring in big profits anytime soon.
So the question remains: Will Meta become the king of superintelligence or just another company that tried too hard, too fast?
What do you think? Will Zuckerberg’s bold steps change the world—or cost Meta too much before they see success?
