Meta to nearly double its investment in AI in 2026 as Mark Zuckerberg looks to build a ‘personal superintelligence’

By Admin

29 Jan, 2026

A Massive Capital Push Into AI Infrastructure
Meta is preparing for one of its most aggressive investment cycles yet in artificial intelligence. In its Q4 earnings report released on Wednesday, the company disclosed plans to spend between $115 billion and $135 billion on AI-related capital expenditure in 2026. This figure is almost double what Meta spent last year, when it undertook a major revamp of its AI unit, signaling a clear long-term commitment to leading the next phase of AI development.

Zuckerberg’s Vision for 2026
According to Mark Zuckerberg, 2026 is set to be a defining year for Meta’s AI ambitions. Speaking during the earnings call, he emphasized that the company will continue to invest heavily in infrastructure to train cutting-edge models and deliver what he calls “personal superintelligence” to billions of people and businesses worldwide. This infrastructure largely refers to Meta’s large-scale data centre projects, which are expected to underpin both current and future AI initiatives.

AI Roadmap and Product Direction
While Meta has not yet revealed specific new AI products for 2026, Zuckerberg made it clear that the company is not betting on a single launch. Instead, Meta plans to roll out multiple AI-driven products over the course of the year, reflecting a broader, platform-level strategy. The focus, according to leadership, is on building momentum and demonstrating rapid progress rather than making one-off announcements.

Next-Generation Models Beyond Llama
Although no products were named directly during the call, reports suggest that Meta’s TBD AI unit, led by former Scale AI CEO Alexandr Wang, is testing a new AI model code-named “Avocado.” This model is expected to succeed Meta’s Llama family of large language models. Zuckerberg hinted that early models may be incremental at first but will clearly show the pace at which Meta intends to push the AI frontier throughout 2026.

Why Meta Is Building Its Own AI Models
Addressing questions about why Meta needs to develop proprietary AI models, Zuckerberg stressed that Meta is fundamentally a deep technology company. Relying entirely on external models, he argued, could limit innovation and strategic freedom. By owning its AI stack, Meta aims to shape the future of AI-powered products rather than being constrained by what others in the ecosystem create.

The ‘Personal Superintelligence’ Philosophy
Zuckerberg’s comments reinforce the vision he outlined last year when he introduced the “personal superintelligence” project. Unlike approaches that focus primarily on automation and efficiency, Meta’s strategy centers on personal empowerment. Zuckerberg has stated that superintelligence should give individuals greater agency to improve their lives and the world around them, rather than concentrating power or productivity gains in a centralized system.

Shaping the Future of AI and Human Interaction
In a public letter, Zuckerberg expressed optimism that superintelligence could accelerate human progress while ushering in a new era of personal empowerment. He contrasted Meta’s approach with other industry views that envision AI centrally automating most valuable work. For Meta, the intersection of technology and everyday human life remains the core focus, and its nearly doubled AI investment for 2026 underscores how central this belief has become to the company’s future strategy.