Alexandr Wang, the founder of the increasingly powerful tech firm Scale AI, will not be apologising for his company's contracts with the US military.
Mr Wang's start-up, which trains artificial intelligence applications, already boasts some of the world's biggest technology giants as its clients, including Meta, Microsoft and OpenAI. It also works with the US Air Force and US Army.
Other tech firms have faced criticism for working with the military, but Mr Wang, who became the world's youngest self-made billionaire in 2022 at the age of 25, has no such concerns.
“We’re at the brink of this incredibly powerful new technology, and the applications for national security are obvious," Mr Wang said during a discussion at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington. "It’s going to be imperative for the US to stay ahead."
Mr Wang grew up in Los Alamos, New Mexico, famed for housing Robert Oppenheimer's development of the atomic bomb through the Manhattan Project during the Second World War. It was this Los Alamos upbringing that led Mr Wang to believe it’s a moral imperative for AI companies to work with the military, he said.
A visit to China, where he saw AI companies working on facial recognition and surveillance, bolstered the entrepreneur's belief that Scale AI should work with US defence entities.
“At that moment it was clear for me that the US would need to have the highest quality human capital and the best companies focused on this problem,” he said, referring to national security.
Mr Wang acknowledged there had been some fallout in the years since his decision. There was initial pushback from investors, and some employees resigned fearing the stigma that might come from working with the military.
“Knowing about the history of where I grew up, and the impact that Los Alamos and the Manhattan Project had on Pax Americana and the global order, it felt so clear that great AI technology needs to be applied to national security problems," he added, also not shying away from his warnings about China's goals with AI.
"The CCP has had an AI master plan," he said. "They've discussed the need to win on the sort of implementation and proliferation of this technology throughout their military."
Scale AI’s footprint continues to grow as buzz surrounding the self-described "data-centric end-to-end solution" AI infrastructure company shows no sign of slowing.
Essentially, if a company needs reliable and well-organised data to help create a large language model for just about anything, Scale AI has become the go-to experts.
Mr Wang founded Scale AI in 2016 shortly after dropping out of MIT when he saw AI developments creating the need for ways to label, curate and manage high quality training data for both technology companies and other large businesses.
That proved to be a wise bet.
As of 2025, it now has more than 900 employees and secured at least $1.3 billion in financing, resulting in a $13.8 billion valuation.
Few companies in the world currently have the equivalent of Scale AI’s defence and commercial portfolio. The rapid ascent of Scale AI has also put Mr Wang in the rarefied air of AI tech entrepreneurs and celebrities such as Nvidia’s Jensen Huang and OpenAI’s Sam Altman.
He has graced the cover of magazines, testified before Congress and is increasingly sought after for interviews.
His comments about “agentic warfare” and “lethality deterrence” at CSIS in Washington came in the context of a question from interviewer Gregory Allen, who previously worked at the Pentagon.
Mr Allen asked about Google’s decision in 2018 to pull out of a military initiative called Project Maven, which sought to use technology to enhance military and weapons systems.
Some critiqued Google at the time for joining the project, accusing it of profiting from potential wars and conflicts. Yet Mr Wang decided to pivot his company to such research.
“One core belief I have is that over time, rationality prevails,” Mr Wang explained, adding that in his view the AI applications for national security were “very obvious” and therefore necessary to assist with.
Mr Wang’s defence of Scale AI’s military work comes as other companies like Microsoft have faced criticism for making similar moves.
In April, Mustafa Suleyman, Microsoft's head of artificial intelligence, was interrupted by an employee who criticised the company for having contracts with the Israeli military.
“Stop using AI for genocide, Mustafa. Stop using AI for genocide in our region … 50,000 people have died. You have blood on your hands,” said the protester at an anniversary event on the Microsoft campus in Redmond, Washington state.
The employee and several others were later fired, but consternations from some inside the company have remained.
There’s no sign that fears of demonstrations or similar backlash have impacted Mr Wang’s business decisions.
In January, he also surprised some by writing a congratulatory letter to recently elected US President Donald Trump, offering some thoughts about how the US should proceed with AI compared with other countries.
“China’s government outspends our government by about 10 times on AI implementation and adoption,” he wrote, urging President Trump to increase American AI investment.
He also suggested the US should prepare for the vast amounts of energy that AI infrastructure would require, and to not stifle AI innovation through regulations.
“Attracting the best technology companies to flourish in America relies on the right regulatory framework,” he said.
During Thursday's CSIS event, Mr Wang also wasn’t shy about critiquing export policies that limit US AI chip exports to various countries, while also acknowledging the complexity of the issue that some say is key to maintaining US technology leadership.
He said AI developments from Chinese companies like DeepSeek and Huawei show chip export enforcement can only go so far.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
MATCH INFO
Barcelona 2
Suarez (10'), Messi (52')
Real Madrid 2
Ronaldo (14'), Bale (72')
The UAE squad for the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games
The jiu-jitsu men’s team: Faisal Al Ketbi, Zayed Al Kaabi, Yahia Al Hammadi, Taleb Al Kirbi, Obaid Al Nuaimi, Omar Al Fadhli, Zayed Al Mansoori, Saeed Al Mazroui, Ibrahim Al Hosani, Mohammed Al Qubaisi, Salem Al Suwaidi, Khalfan Belhol, Saood Al Hammadi.
Women’s team: Mouza Al Shamsi, Wadeema Al Yafei, Reem Al Hashmi, Mahra Al Hanaei, Bashayer Al Matrooshi, Hessa Thani, Salwa Al Ali.
MO
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
LILO & STITCH
Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders
Director: Dean Fleischer Camp
Rating: 4.5/5
The five pillars of Islam
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
More on animal trafficking
The years Ramadan fell in May
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
The five pillars of Islam
RESULTS
6.30pm Handicap (TB) US$65,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
Winner Golden Goal, Pat Dobbs (jockey), Doug Watson (trainer)
7.05pm Dubai Racing Club Classic Listed Handicap (TB) $88,000 (Turf) 2,410m
Winner: Walton Street, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
7.40pm Dubai Stakes Group 3 (TB) $130,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner Switzerland, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
8.15pm Singspiel Stakes Group 3 (TB) $163,000 (T) 1,800m
Winner Lord Giltters, Adrie de Vries, David O’Meara
8.50pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round-1 (TB) $228,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner Military Law, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi.
9.25pm Al Fahidi Fort Group 2 (TB) $163,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner Land Of Legends, Frankie Dettori, Saeed bin Suroor
10pm Dubai Dash Listed Handicap (TB) $88,000 (T) 1,000m
Winner Equilateral, Frankie Dettori, Charles Hills.
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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THE POPE'S ITINERARY
Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial
Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport
Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The years Ramadan fell in May
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
DUBAI WORLD CUP CARNIVAL CARD
6.30pm Handicap US$135,000 (Turf) 2,410m
7.05pm UAE 1000 Guineas Listed $250,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
7.40pm Dubai Dash Listed $175,000 (T) 1,000m
8.15pm Al Bastakiya Trial Conditions $100,000 (D) 1.900m
8.50pm Al Fahidi Fort Group Two $250,000 (T) 1,400m
9.25pm Handicap $135,000 (D) 2,000m
The National selections
6.30pm: Gifts Of Gold
7.05pm Final Song
7.40pm Equilateral
8.15pm Dark Of Night
8.50pm Mythical Magic
9.25pm Franz Kafka
