Meta's AI Comeback Story

Mark Zuckerberg has reclaimed the #3 spot on the world's richest list after Meta Platforms reached a $1.6 trillion valuation — making him the first social media billionaire to crack the top three. The company's Reality Labs division reported its first profitable quarter ever, generating $2.8 billion in AI glasses and metaverse hardware revenue. Llama 4, Meta's open-source AI model, has become the most downloaded AI framework globally, powering applications from Instagram Reels generation to Facebook content moderation.

Zuckerberg's aggressive pivot to AI after the 2022 metaverse misstep has paid off spectacularly. The company's advertising business, which still generates 95% of revenue, has been supercharged by AI-driven targeting that increased click-through rates by 42%. Meta's 3.2 billion monthly active users now spend an average of 35 minutes daily on the platform — up 18% from last year. The Facebook founder's wealth has grown by $140 billion in 2025 alone, bringing his total net worth to $285 billion.

The AI Empire

Meta's AI strategy has three pillars: open-source models, consumer hardware, and enterprise services. Llama 4's 1.4 trillion parameters make it the largest open model ever, attracting developers and enterprises alike. Orion AR glasses, launched in October, have sold 2.5 million units in their first month — far exceeding expectations. Meta's AI enterprise business is growing at 180% annually, with Fortune 500 companies licensing the company's models for customer service and content generation. Zuckerberg's focus on AI has transformed Meta from a social media company into the world's leading artificial intelligence platform.