Meta approached AI startup Runway about a takeover bid before Scale deal

Meta Platforms recently engaged in discussions with the artificial intelligence startup Runway regarding a potential acquisition, as it prepared to finalize a significant investment in Scale AI, as confirmed by CNBC. Runway, recognized for its innovative AI video generation tools, had only recently secured a place on CNBC's prestigious Disruptor 50 list. Sources familiar with the talks, who preferred to remain anonymous due to the private nature of the discussions, revealed that the negotiations between Meta and Runway did not advance significantly and eventually came to an end. Earlier reports by Bloomberg highlighted these discussions. In recent months, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has prioritized enhancing the company's AI capabilities. Earlier this year, Meta invested a staggering $14.3 billion in Scale AI and has also shown interest in acquiring other AI startups, including Safe Superintelligence and Perplexity AI. The tech giant secured a 49% stake in Scale AI and successfully recruited its founder, Alexandr Wang, along with several other key team members. Although Meta's attempt to fully acquire Safe Superintelligence fell short, the company has welcomed CEO Daniel Gross and former GitHub CEO Nat Friedman to contribute to its AI initiatives, collaborating on projects under Wang’s leadership.