On Friday, Mark Zuckerberg disclosed intentions for a substantial investment ranging from $60-65 billion in Meta’s artificial intelligence (AI) projects.
“This is destined to be a pivotal year for AI,” Zuckerberg remarked in a comprehensive [Facebook post](https://www.facebook.com/zuck/posts/pfbid0219ude255AKkmk4JAueXZeZ9zpjNYio2tBkd7bNmCaRbJ6iJaVVjypUgDg78CNdq5l) detailing the grand investment. He voiced assurance in Meta’s AI strategy, forecasting that by 2025, Meta AI would evolve into the foremost virtual assistant, catering to over 1 billion users. Furthermore, he anticipates that Llama 4, the forthcoming version of Meta’s Large Language Model (LLM), will establish a new benchmark in AI technology. Zuckerberg also suggested the creation of an AI engineer capable of making substantial contributions to Meta’s research and development efforts.
[Llama](https://mashable.com/article/meta-connect-2024-llama-ai-updates), Meta’s open-source LLM, currently underpins AI functionalities across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. Although Llama 3 is presently operational, Meta has already revealed plans to roll out [Llama 4 in 2025](https://ai.meta.com/blog/future-of-ai-built-with-llama/).
Zuckerberg additionally provided insights regarding Meta’s infrastructure growth, which includes the establishment of a data center with over two gigawatts (GW) of energy capacity—sufficient to power a considerable part of Manhattan. By year-end, Meta intends to activate one GW of computing power and will possess over 1.3 million GPUs in operation, delivering vast processing capabilities.
“We’re aiming to allocate $60-65 billion in capital expenditures this year while notably expanding our AI teams,” Zuckerberg stated. “We have the financial means to maintain these investments for many years ahead.”
This announcement surfaces amidst legal disputes, including a [lawsuit](https://mashable.com/article/meta-pirated-books-llama-ai-lawsuit) claiming that Llama was trained using pirated content. It also comes on the heels of the introduction of [The Stargate Project](https://mashable.com/article/stargate-project-trump-openai-oracle-softbank-500-billion-venture-ai-infrastructure), a $500 billion AI infrastructure initiative announced by former President Trump and OpenAI. Stargate seeks to facilitate the development of AI data centers, intensifying the competition in the AI domain.
“This represents a colossal endeavor, and in the years to come, it will propel our core products and business, ignite unprecedented innovation, and enhance American technological leadership,” Zuckerberg wrapped up. “Let’s get to building!”