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 (https://techcrunch.com/2025/06/13/scale-ai-confirms-significant-investment-from-meta-says-ceo-alexandr-wang-is-leaving/) , 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:

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How Chime’s IPO (https://techcrunch.com/2025/06/12/chime-almost-died-in-2016-turned-down-by-100-vcs-today-it-ipod-at-14-5b/) 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




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Why Y Combinator’s Demo Day (https://techcrunch.com/2025/06/13/11-startups-from-yc-demo-day-that-investors-are-talking-about/) was packed with “agentic” AI startups building autonomous software, and how a recent chat with Fiverr’s CEO (https://techcrunch.com/podcast/fiverrs-ceo-on-why-ai-is-coming-for-everyone/) sheds light on AI-driven task automation in the gig economy




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How Jony Ive’s LoveFrom spent 18 months (https://techcrunch.com/2025/06/06/jony-ives-lovefrom-helped-design-rivians-first-electric-bike/) 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. 

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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.

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Post from TechCrunch on June 13, 2025

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