Meta in Advanced Talks to Acquire AI Fund Stake and Recruit Top Investors

Meta Platforms is nearing a deal to bring on prominent AI investors Nat Friedman and Daniel Gross, while potentially acquiring a significant portion of their venture fund NFDG. The transaction, valued at over $1 billion, WOULD grant Meta minority stakes in several high-profile AI startups without operational control.

Gross would depart his current venture, SAFE Superintelligence, to focus on Meta's AI products, while Friedman would assume a broader strategic role. Both executives are expected to collaborate directly with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Scale AI's Alexandr Wang, whose company recently joined Meta in a $14.3 billion deal.

The MOVE signals Meta's aggressive push to strengthen its AI capabilities, following recent setbacks including delays to its Llama 4 model. NFDG's portfolio includes stakes in leading AI firms like Perplexity and The Bot Company, with assets exceeding $2 billion in 2023.