Meta CEO says he was ready to pledge up to $200 billion for AI

During a conversation on the Cheeky Pint podcast, Meta’s chief executive Mark Zuckerberg revealed that he was willing to allocate up to $200 billion toward the company’s artificial-intelligence ambitions, despite not having seen the new models at the time. He asked chief AI officer Alexandr Wang whether the plan would work, and Wang noted that research updates were promising but far from certain. CFO Susan Li repeatedly emphasized the dire financial consequences if the AI project failed, a warning Wang recalled from a meeting in Hawaii.

Meta’s recent guidance projects capital expenditures of $130-$145 billion through 2026, with some forecasts suggesting $200 billion in 2027. After the April earnings release, the stock fell more than 6% in after-hours trading as the firm lifted its spending forecast. The episode underscores the massive risk Meta is taking on its AI push.