Artificial intelligence company Scale AI is finalizing a tender offer that values the firm at **25billion∗∗—an∗∗8025billion∗∗—an∗∗8013.8B valuation in May 2023. The deal, set to close by June 1, allows early employees and investors to sell shares, cementing Lucy Guo, its 30-year-old cofounder, as the youngest self-made woman billionaire in the world.
Lucy Guo’s Billionaire Rise
- Net Worth: $1.25B (Forbes estimate)
- Scale AI Stake: ~5% (worth $1.2B)
- Dethroned: Taylor Swift (previously youngest at 35)
Guo, a computer science dropout, cofounded Scale AI in 2016 at age 21 with Alexandr Wang (then 19). Despite being fired in 2018 over company disagreements, she retained her shares—a move that paid off massively.
“I don’t really think about it much, it’s a bit wild. Too bad it’s all on paper haha.”
— Lucy Guo on her billionaire status
Why Scale AI’s Valuation Soared
- Core Business: Provides AI data labeling (used by OpenAI, U.S. military, and self-driving car companies).
- Revenue Growth: Fueled by ChatGPT’s boom and government contracts (e.g., analyzing Ukraine satellite images).
- CEO Alexandr Wang’s Stake: Now worth **3.6B∗∗(upfrom3.6B∗∗(upfrom2B in 2023).
Guo’s Post-Scale AI Success
After leaving Scale, Guo:
✅ Launched Backend Capital (VC firm)
✅ Invested early in Ramp (now a $13B fintech unicorn)
✅ Founded Passes, a Web3 creator platform
Key Takeaways
🔹 Scale AI’s $25B valuation reflects AI’s explosive demand.
🔹 Lucy Guo proves retaining equity in startups can lead to billion-dollar payouts.
🔹 Alexandr Wang, now 27, is among the world’s youngest billionaire CEOs.
