penAI has announced it will continue its collaboration with **Scale AI**, even after **Meta Platforms Inc.** made a major investment in the data-labeling company. This statement came during the **VivaTech conference** in Paris, where OpenAI’s **CFO Sarah Friar** emphasized the importance of maintaining diverse partnerships in the AI ecosystem.

Speaking to the broader implications of the investment, Friar stated, *“We don’t want to ice the ecosystem because acquisitions are going to happen. If we ice each other out, I think we’re actually going to slow the pace of innovation.”*

OpenAI is the first major client of Scale AI to publicly respond since Meta’s announcement on Thursday. Under the deal, Meta will acquire a **49% stake** in Scale AI, valuing the startup at over **\$29 billion**, according to sources familiar with the matter.

### Scale AI’s Expanding Role in AI Development

Founded in **2016**, Scale AI specializes in preparing and organizing data that powers AI systems. The company also provides custom AI tools for businesses and government agencies. The new investment will help Scale **accelerate its R\&D**, improve services for existing clients, and return capital to shareholders. Despite Meta's significant investment, it will remain a **minority shareholder**.

### Meta’s Strategic AI Push

Meta’s investment in Scale AI marks one of its **largest external investments** to date. The move aligns with its renewed focus on advancing AI capabilities after setbacks in launching a key model.

Meta and Scale plan to deepen their collaboration on data solutions, and **Scale’s CEO Alexandr Wang** will join Meta to support its **superintelligence initiatives**, while remaining on Scale’s board. **Jason Droege**, Scale’s current Chief Strategy Officer and a former Uber Eats co-founder, will serve as **interim CEO**.

### Scale’s Workforce and Market Presence

Headquartered in **San Francisco**, Scale AI now employs over **100,000 independent contractors** globally. These workers are responsible for labeling data, generating content, and training AI models to understand and replicate human behavior. The company serves major clients including **OpenAI, Google, and Meta**, and has recently begun offering AI development tools to enterprise clients, though this area remains a smaller part of its operations.