Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) has decided to crank the AI dial to eleven with a shiny new division called Superintelligence Labs. The news, which slipped out via a leaked memo, has Wall Street buzzing louder than a server room on overdrive.
Bank of America slapped a “Buy” rating on META stock faster than you can say “algorithm,” citing the company’s bold move to chase AI supremacy.
This isn’t just a casual dip into the AI pool—Meta’s going full cannonball. The Superintelligence Labs, led by Alexandr Wang, former CEO of ScaleAI, aims to build AI that can outsmart humans at, well, pretty much everything. Think of it as Meta trying to create a digital brain that could beat you at chess, write your emails, and maybe even convince your boss you deserve a raise.
Wang’s not alone in this high-tech heist. Meta’s been on a hiring spree, snagging talent from OpenAI faster than a kid grabbing candy from a piñata. Shengjia Zhao, Jiahui Yu, Shuchao Bi, and Hongyu Ren are the latest brainiacs to join the party, bringing the total to seven OpenAI researchers poached in a single week.
Why the rush? Meta’s playing catch-up in the AI race, and they’re not subtle about it. The company’s pouring billions—$68 billion in 2025 alone, according to some reports—into building AI infrastructure that could probably power a small country. Zuckerberg’s memo, which somehow ended up in everyone’s inbox, hints that “superintelligence” is closer than we think.
Wall Street’s eating this up. META shares hit a record high of $747.90 on July 1, climbing faster than a squirrel up a tree. Investors are betting big that Meta’s AI gamble will pay off, turning the social media giant into an AI powerhouse.
But it’s not all smooth sailing. Some venture capitalists are grumbling about Meta’s eight-figure bonuses causing a talent war that’s inflating salaries across the tech world. Antitrust lawyers are also side-eyeing Meta, worried its social media dominance could give its AI an unfair edge.
Superintelligence Labs isn’t just about fancy titles and big checks. It’s merging Meta’s existing AI teams, including those working on the open-source Llama software and the Fundamental AI Research (FAIR) projects. The goal? Create AI that’s not just smart but “personal superintelligence” for everyone.
Zuckerberg’s vision is ambitious, to say the least. He wants AI woven into your daily life—think Instagram filters that know your mood before you do. The new lab will focus on next-gen models, with Wang and co-leader Nat Friedman, former GitHub CEO, steering the ship.
The financials back up Meta’s swagger. Q1 2025 revenue hit $42.3 billion, and Q2 projections are dancing between $42.5 billion and $45.5 billion. That’s a lot of cash to throw at AI dreams, and Meta’s not shy about spending it.
But here’s the kicker: Meta’s not just chasing AI for bragging rights. They’re aiming to redefine how billions interact with tech, from WhatsApp to your Ray-Ban smart glasses. Imagine an AI assistant that’s less “Siri, set a timer” and more “Siri, run my life.”
The competition’s fierce, though. OpenAI, Google DeepMind, and Anthropic are all in the superintelligence race, and Meta’s playing hardball to keep up. Poaching talent and dropping billions on hardware shows they mean business.
Some X posts are calling this Zuckerberg’s redemption arc after the Metaverse misfire. One user joked that Meta’s AI could “save Zuck from his $15 billion virtual reality oopsie.” Others are hyped, with Wang himself tweeting about his excitement to lead the charge “towards superintelligence 🚀.”
Not everyone’s sold, though. Critics point out that “superintelligence” sounds cool but is still a vague promise. Will Meta’s AI really outthink humans, or is this just another tech buzzword fest?
The market doesn’t care about the skeptics right now. META stock’s 26% jump in 2025 has investors grinning like they just won the lottery. Bank of America’s bullish stance only fuels the fire, with analysts betting Meta’s AI pivot will keep the stock climbing.
Still, there’s a whisper of caution. While Meta’s throwing cash at AI, some investors wonder if it’s too much, too fast. The $14.3 billion ScaleAI acquisition raised eyebrows, and that $29 billion fundraising push isn’t exactly pocket change.
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