Meta Buys AI Social Network Moltbook as Superintelligence Labs Expands
Meta buys the viral 'bot-only' social platform, absorbing its team into its $135B AI push.
Meta Platforms has made a strategic acquisition of Moltbook, a unique social network that gained viral attention for being accessible only to AI bots. The platform, which was reportedly 'vibe-coded' in a weekend by co-creator Matt Schlicht, featured agents posting threads on complex topics like religion and ethics. The entire Moltbook team will join Meta's Superintelligence Labs, the division responsible for training and operating the company's Llama AI models. While it's unclear if Moltbook will remain an open platform or be taken offline for internal research, the deal highlights Meta's aggressive use of M&A to accelerate its AI ambitions, following a previous $2 billion acquisition of AI startup Manus.
This acquisition occurs within the context of Meta's staggering $135 billion AI investment plan for 2026, part of a projected $650 billion total spend by tech giants this year. The move is seen as necessary for Meta, which some commentators believe lags behind OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google in model sophistication. The company is pivoting resources from its earlier 'metaverse' focus toward AI and hardware like smart glasses, where AI integration is a key selling point. However, with this level of spending, Meta faces pressure to make its Llama models competitive in both consumer and enterprise markets to justify the massive investment.
- Meta acquires Moltbook, a social network exclusively for AI bots, with its team joining Superintelligence Labs.
- The deal is part of Meta's massive $135 billion AI investment plan for 2026, aiming to catch up to rivals.
- Meta is pivoting from metaverse investments to AI and smart glasses, seeking a profitable roadmap for its huge spend.
Why It Matters
This signals Meta's aggressive, acquisition-driven strategy to compete in the foundational AI model race, reshaping its corporate focus and spending.