Meta looking to buy voice startup PlayAI as it hunts for top talent

Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) is in discussions to buy PlayAI, a California-based startup that specializes in generating AI voices that are human-like, according to a Bloomberg report on Thursday.

The company is expected to take over the startup’s technology and some of its employees, the report said, citing sources.

Sources told Bloomberg that a deal is not yet finalized and could still change. Financial terms were not known.

The move by the company comes shortly after it bought a 49% stake in Scale AI for nearly $15B as it pushes to make strong headway in the AI race.

Since the beginning of this year, the Mark Zuckerberg-led company has been actively trying to pursue AI deals and recruiting top talent from its rivals Google (GOOG) (GOOGL) and OpenAI (MSFT) to assemble its “superintelligence group.”

Prior to the Scale deal, it tried to buy Perplexity AI, Runway AI, and FuriosaAI.

Meta’s AI frenzy is also reminiscent of the company’s early days, when it rushed to take out competition during the social media boom with its Instagram and WhatsApp purchases.