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Meta’s big AI bet and our not-so-hot-take on fintech IPOs

Meta just made a $14.3 billion bet on data-labeling company Scale AI () , but it’s not a traditional takeover: Meta’s taking a 49% stake in the company and adding Scale’s co-founder Alexandr Wang to its team. Today on Equity, we break down what this means for Meta’s AI ambitions and revisit Wang’s early AI…

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Meta just made a $14.3 billion bet on data-labeling company Scale AI () , but it’s not a traditional takeover: Meta’s taking a 49% stake in the company and adding Scale’s co-founder Alexandr Wang to its team.

Today on Equity, we break down what this means for Meta’s AI ambitions and revisit Wang’s early AI predictions.

Listen to the full episode to hear more highlights from the week, including:

•

How Chime’s IPO () priced above expectations at $27 per share and jumped in early trading, and Anthony’s not-so-hot takes on what this signals for the tech IPO market

•

Why Y Combinator’s Demo Day () was packed with “agentic” AI startups building autonomous software, and how a recent chat with Fiverr’s CEO () sheds light on AI-driven task automation in the gig economy

•

How Jony Ive’s LoveFrom spent 18 months () quietly collaborating with Rivian on their first electric bike, a spinout product confirmed to have a bike-like form factor

Equity will be back next week, so stay tuned!

Equity is TechCrunch’s flagship podcast, produced by Theresa Loconsolo, and posts every Wednesday and Friday. 

Subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts () , Overcast () , Spotify () and all the casts. You also can follow Equity on X () and Threads () , at @EquityPod. 

Credits: Equity is produced by Theresa Loconsolo with editing by Kell. We’d also like to thank TechCrunch’s audience development team. Thank you so much for listening, and we’ll talk to you next time.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices ()

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2 Comments

2 Comments

  1. @OfficialDanielSilvas

    June 13, 2025 at 1:30 pm

    I think Meta is kinda late to the AI game, and I hope Meta does not relinquish safety in favor of progress to catch up to the other ai players 🙏

    Reply

    • @PolitikKompaktDE

      June 16, 2025 at 8:47 am

      Meta has collected the most information and data across the world. So how can they be late. They started earlier than anyone else just by doing this one step😅

      Reply

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Inside the Fundraise l Build Mode

Startup fundraising is harder than ever, and Season 3 of Build Mode is here to help. Whether you’re raising a seed round, preparing for Series A, pitching venture capital firms, negotiating a term sheet, or exploring alternatives to VC funding, this season is packed with practical advice from founders and investors who have successfully navigated…

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Startup fundraising is harder than ever, and Season 3 of Build Mode is here to help. Whether you’re raising a seed round, preparing for Series A, pitching venture capital firms, negotiating a term sheet, or exploring alternatives to VC funding, this season is packed with practical advice from founders and investors who have successfully navigated the fundraising journey.
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If you’re an entrepreneur, startup founder, investor, or operator looking for actionable fundraising advice, this season is your playbook. New episodes begin July 9 and release every week on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you listen to podcasts. Subscribe now and learn how to raise capital, grow your startup, and build with confidence.

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I Tried a $4,500 Robotic Exoskeleton and It Gave Me Super Ankles

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The future of wearable tech isn’t just on your wrist—it’s on your legs. In this hands-on look, we test the Dephy Sidekick, a consumer-powered bionic footwear system designed to give you a literal boost with every step. At $4,500, this powered ankle exoskeleton claims to offload your calves and make walking effortlessly easy.

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#exoskeletons #robotics #walkingaid

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Unboxing Belkin’s $50 Lilypad iPad Case

It may say 3+ but this one’s for the adults. 😅 And yes, this case did fit on the M3 iPad Air 🎉 #belkin #toystory5 #ts5 #lilypad #ipadcase Add CNET as a trusted news source Never miss a deal again! See CNET’s browser extension 👉 Check out CNET’s Amazon Storefront: Subscribe to CNET on YouTube:…

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It may say 3+ but this one’s for the adults. 😅 And yes, this case did fit on the M3 iPad Air 🎉 #belkin #toystory5 #ts5 #lilypad #ipadcase

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