Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is doubling down on the company’s vision for AI—not as a workplace assistant, but as a personal companion. In a move that redefines Meta’s AI trajectory, Zuckerberg unveiled a concept he calls “personal superintelligence,” signaling a strategic retreat from head-to-head competition with productivity-first AI models like ChatGPT.
Instead, Meta’s AI ambitions now align with its foundational strength: keeping users engaged across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. According to journalist Alex Heath of The Verge, who has frequently interviewed Zuckerberg, the pivot is a clear indication that Meta is leaning into its core competency—building sticky, social experiences—rather than attempting to outmatch OpenAI on utility-based tools.
Meta’s assistant had been heavily promoted across its apps over the past year, a clear bid to counter ChatGPT’s rapid growth. But Zuckerberg now appears to be acknowledging that mimicking productivity-centric AI isn’t Meta’s lane.
In his newly released “Personal Superintelligence Manifesto,” Zuckerberg predicted that as AI increases efficiency, people will spend less time on traditional productivity software and more on social and creative activities. Meta’s goal: an AI that understands individual users and helps them pursue personal goals—through entertainment, lifestyle enhancements, and social connection.
This direction was confirmed internally. At a recent all-hands meeting, Meta Chief Product Officer Chris Cox told employees that future AI development will focus on content recommendations, Reels, ad targeting, and interactive AI personas—tools to keep users entertained, not just efficient.
The term “personal superintelligence” was originally coined by Noam Shazeer, co-founder of Character.AI, who briefly considered joining Meta before returning to Google. Now it defines the direction of Meta’s AI evolution.
Spending Big to Build the Future
Zuckerberg claims Meta’s AI models are beginning to improve themselves, inching toward “superintelligence.” But the path is expensive. In Q2 2025 alone, Meta’s costs rose 12% year-over-year to $27.07 billion, with $17.01 billion earmarked for capital expenditures. Full-year projections place spending between $114 billion and $118 billion, with capital investment making up more than half.
Despite this, Wall Street is bullish. Meta’s Q2 earnings hit $7.14 per share on $47.52 billion in revenue—blowing past expectations. The stock jumped 10% on the news, reinforcing investor confidence in the AI-driven strategy.
Meta is also stacking its AI talent roster. The company has poached researchers from Apple, GitHub, and top AI startups with eye-popping offers—one reported at over $200 million. It also invested $14.3 billion in Scale AI for a 49% stake, bringing Scale CEO Alexandr Wang onboard as Meta’s Chief AI Officer.
“Money talks, and Meta has plenty of it,” said Forrester Research Director Mike Proulx, noting the company’s edge in attracting elite talent and building infrastructure at speed.
Reality Labs, Meta’s hardware division behind devices like smart glasses, remains small with $370 million in revenue last quarter. But Zuckerberg hinted at a future where AI glasses are essential—comparing them to contact lenses and warning that users without them may face a “cognitive disadvantage.”
Meanwhile, Meta’s bread and butter—advertising—continues to thrive. Ad revenue reached $46.6 billion in Q2, up from $38.3 billion the year before. CFO Susan Li tempered expectations for WhatsApp’s contribution, noting it remains under-monetized due to limited data and lower-earning markets.
Empowerment Over Automation
As the AI race accelerates, Meta is betting that consumers don’t just want machines to do their work—they want them to enhance their lives. While competitors focus on automating tasks, Meta is pouring billions into an AI future that prioritizes personal growth, entertainment, and deeper social interaction.
Zuckerberg framed the rest of the decade as pivotal, asking a bold question: Will AI empower people—or replace them?
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