A new wave of wealth is being generated by the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence, with Forbes reporting over 50 new billionaires created in 2025 thanks to the AI boom. Fueled by nearly $200 billion in investment-a considerable increase from the previous year-these entrepreneurs are at the forefront of an industry reshaping technology and business. This surge in AI-driven fortunes highlights the sector’s disruptive potential and underscores a notable shift in the landscape of global wealth creation.
Jakarta –
Artificial intelligence is rapidly creating a new generation of billionaires, with over 50 individuals joining the ranks of the world’s wealthiest in 2025 thanks to innovations in the AI sector, according to a new report by Forbes. These entrepreneurs are building the models, infrastructure, and applications that are quickly becoming integral to daily life, attracting significant investor attention and driving substantial wealth creation.
AI startups absorbed nearly 50% of total global funding in 2025, a substantial increase from 34% in 2024. Investors poured over USD 200 billion into the AI sector throughout the year, signaling strong confidence in the industry’s growth potential. This influx of capital is fueling the rapid rise of these companies and their founders.
The surge in investment has led to a wave of “overnight” billionaires, as companies secure massive funding rounds or are acquired by larger corporations. The trend underscores the transformative power of AI and its potential to disrupt established industries.
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Lucy Guo, co-founder of Scale AI, exemplifies this trend. She became one of the youngest self-made female billionaires after Meta acquired a 49% stake in Scale AI for a valuation exceeding USD 14 billion. At 31 years old, Guo’s net worth is estimated at USD 1.4 billion.
Although Guo stepped down from her role at Scale AI in 2016, she retained a roughly 3% stake in the company. She has since founded a second venture, Passes, which is currently valued at over USD 150 million.
Early in 2025, Chinese AI startup DeepSeek caused a stir in Silicon Valley by successfully training an AI model at a lower cost than its American counterparts. This achievement propelled Liang Wenfeng, DeepSeek’s founder, into billionaire status with a net worth of USD 11.5 billion.
Another success story comes from Edwin Chen, founder and CEO of Surge AI. In less than five years, Chen transformed Surge AI into a leading data annotation company with a USD 24 billion valuation, serving major clients including Google, Meta, and Microsoft.
Chen is estimated to control 75% of the company’s equity, representing a value of approximately USD 18 billion. At just 37 years old, Chen became the youngest individual to appear on Forbes’ 400 list of wealthiest Americans.
AI is also reshaping the profiles of young entrepreneurs. Brendan Foody, Adarsh Hiremath, and Surya Midha, co-founders of Mercor, became the youngest billionaires at age 22, surpassing the previous record held by Mark Zuckerberg.
Founded in 2023, Mercor assists leading AI labs such as OpenAI, Anthropic, and Meta in training their models by recruiting experts to evaluate and refine data. Mercor is currently valued at USD 10 billion, with each of its founders holding a net worth of USD 2.2 billion.
(vmp/afr)
