AI Boom Creates Over 50 New Billionaires Amid Record $202 Billion In Funding
The artificial intelligence sector generated unparalleled wealth in 2025, creating more than 50 new billionaires as investors poured billions into AI companies.
Record Investments
According to Crunchbase data, $202.3 billion was invested in AI startups, capturing 50% of all global funding, up 16% from 2024.
The surge in investment, with valuations reaching historic levels across infrastructure, development tools, and data services, has propelled a new wave of self-made billionaires to the forefront.
Chinese AI startup DeepSeek made founder Liang Wenfeng a billionaire with an estimated $11.5 billion net worth in January, according to Forbes data. Anthropic raised $16.5 billion in 2025, reaching a $183 billion valuation and making all seven cofounders billionaires.
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New AI Billionaires Emerge Across Sectors
Edwin Chen, founder and CEO of Surge AI, holds a 75% stake worth an estimated $18 billion based on $1.2 billion in 2024 revenue, according to Forbes.
Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:META) acquired 49% of Scale AI for over $14 billion, making cofounder Lucy Guo the world's youngest self-made female billionaire, with a net worth of $1.4 billion. Mercer, the global consulting firm, saw its three 22-year-old cofounders, Brendan Foody, Adarsh Hiremath, and Surya Midha, become billionaires following a $10 billion valuation, according to Forbes.
The AI audio research and deployment company ElevenLabs also saw its cofounders, Mati Staniszewski and Piotr Dąbkowski, become billionaires at a $6.6 billion valuation.
Investor Focus and Funding Strength
Investors are shifting focus beyond AI infrastructure builders like Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:NVDA) toward companies using AI to drive real productivity gains, highlighting how strategic bets are helping create the next wave of AI billionaires.
Last week, Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) noted that nearly 90% of AI spending through 2026 is expected to be funded by corporate cash rather than debt, underscoring the sector's financial strength.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.