Meta buys stake in Scale AI, raising antitrust concerns

Meta’s $14.8 billion investment in Scale AI – and the hiring of the startup’s CEO – is drawing attention to how US regulators will handle acquihire-style deals under the Trump administration.

The deal gives Meta a 49% nonvoting stake in Scale AI, which hires gig workers to label training data for AI systems. Scale’s clients include Microsoft and OpenAI, two of Meta’s main competitors in the AI space.

Because Meta hasn’t bought a controlling share, the deal avoided automatic antitrust review. But regulators could still examine it if they believe the structure was designed to sidestep scrutiny or hurt competition.

Access and fairness concerns

Some early signs of fallout have already surfaced. Google, one of Scale’s customers, reportedly cut ties with the company after Meta’s stake was announced. Others are said to be reconsidering their contracts.

In response, a spokesperson for Scale said the company’s work remains strong and that it’s committed to protecting customer data. They declined to comment on Google’s decision.

Alexandr Wang, Scale’s 28-year-old founder and CEO, will join Meta as part of the deal. He’ll stay on Scale’s board but won’t have full access to company information, according to people familiar with the arrangement.

Regulatory outlook under Trump

The Trump administration has taken a lighter approach to AI regulation. Officials have said they don’t want to interfere with how AI develops, though they’ve also voiced doubts about the power held by large tech companies.

William Kovacic, a law professor at George Washington University, said regulators are likely watching AI deals closely, even if they’re not blocking them. “It doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll step in, but they’ll keep a close eye on what these firms do,” he said.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has been looking into similar deals over the past two years. Under the Biden administration, the FTC opened inquiries into Amazon’s hiring of key talent from AI firm Adept and Microsoft’s $650 million deal with Inflection AI, which gave it access to the company’s models and staff.

Amazon’s deal closed without further action, and the FTC hasn’t taken public steps against Microsoft, although a broader investigation into the company continues.

Legal edges and political pressure

Some legal experts say Meta’s approach may reduce its legal exposure. David Olson, an antitrust law professor at Boston College, said a nonvoting minority stake offers “a lot of protection,” though he noted that the FTC could still investigate the deal if it raises concerns.

Not everyone is convinced the deal is harmless. Senator Elizabeth Warren, who has been pushing for tighter oversight of AI partnerships, said the Meta investment should be reviewed closely. “Meta can call this deal whatever it wants,” she said. “But if it breaks the law by cutting competition or making it easier for Meta to dominate, regulators should step in.”

Meta is facing an antitrust lawsuit filed by the FTC over claims it built a monopoly through acquisitions and platform control. It’s unclear whether the agency will also examine its involvement with Scale.

Meanwhile, the Department of Justice is digging into Google’s AI investments. According to Bloomberg, the DOJ is reviewing Google’s partnership with Character.AI to see if it was structured to dodge antitrust review. Officials are also pushing for a rule that would force Google to disclose new AI investments ahead of time.

A wider pattern

The Meta-Scale deal fits into a broader trend of tech companies using investments and talent deals to lock in access to key AI tools and people – without triggering full-scale antitrust reviews.

As more money moves into AI and more partnerships form, regulators will have to decide whether these deals are legitimate business decisions or attempts to skirt the rules. For now, the answer may depend on how much power a company gains – even without buying control.

(Photo by Dima Solomin)

See also: Meta beefs up AI security with new Llama tools 

Want to learn more about AI and big data from industry leaders? Check out AI & Big Data Expo taking place in Amsterdam, California, and London. The comprehensive event is co-located with other leading events including Intelligent Automation Conference, BlockX, Digital Transformation Week, and Cyber Security & Cloud Expo.

Explore other upcoming enterprise technology events and webinars powered by TechForge here.