2025 AI Wealth List: Over 50 Billionaires Emerge

According to Forbes, by 2025, AI will have created over50 New BillionairesCovering every aspect from models to infrastructure and applications, the most valuable figure is Edwin Chen, founder of data infrastructure startup Surge AI, whose net worth has reached$18 billion (approximately RMB 126.14 billion);Founder and CEO of DeepSeekLiang WenfengMake the list, with$11.5 billion (approximately RMB 80.59 billion)Ranked second.

Specifically, regarding large models, at the beginning of this year,DeepSeekThe U.S. AI unicorn has fired the first shot in the high-profile AI competition.AnthropicNot to be outdone, its valuation reached $61.5 billion (approximately RMB 430.98 billion) in March, positioning the companySeven co-foundersAll have joined the ranks of billionaires. Beyond the foundational models, tech giants are betting ondata centerhas also given rise to numerous AI infrastructure providers.Over a dozen billionairessuch as cloud computing providersCoreWeaveCo-founder. At the application layer, AI is permeating various industries at an unprecedented pace, reshaping productivity tools and vertical sectors such as video game companies.Paper Folding GameAI robot manufacturerOrbbecand U.S. AI audio generation startupsElevenLabsThe co-founders have all become billionaires.

It is worth noting that the wealth in the AI industryTrend toward youthfulnessClearly, U.S. AI recruitment startupsMercorThree individualsGeneration ZThe co-founders each hold a net worth of $2.2 billion (approximately RMB 15.42 billion), breaking the record for the youngest self-made billionaire previously held by Meta founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg.37 years oldFounder of Surge AIEdwin ChenBecame the youngest new entrant on Forbes' list of America's wealthiest individuals.

Additionally, there are many others on the rankings.ChineseBesides Liang Wenfeng, Lucy Guo, co-founder of U.S.-based AI data annotation startup Scale AI, is also of Chinese descent, with an estimated net worth of approximately$1.4 billion (approximately RMB 9.81 billion)She has become one of the world's youngest self-made female billionaires, surpassing American singer Taylor Swift. Edwin Chen, the youngest newcomer to the U.S. billionaire list mentioned earlier, is also of Chinese descent.

▲New Billionaires Emerge in the AI Industry by 2025

01.Large models, AI infrastructure, and AI applications are flourishing across the board.  1.4 trillion yuan in capital floods into the AI industry

According to Crunchbase, a globally renowned business information platform, investor spending in the AI sector this year has surpassed$200 billion (approximately RMB 1.4 trillion)AI startups secured50%This proportion increased by 161 TP4T compared to 2024.

By 2025, AI had reached a fever pitch. AI startups were raising massive amounts of capital in a frenzy, while data center construction entered a boom phase. For entrepreneurs developing AI models, infrastructure, and applications, AI had become a colossal wealth-creating engine.

(1) Large Model

In the field of large-scale models, this January,DeepSeekKicking off the year with a bang, its open-source modelDeepSeek-R1The success of the company has made its founderLiang WenfengHis net worth has soared to nearly 100 billion. Currently, his net assets are approximately$11.5 billion (approximately RMB 80.59 billion).

In March this year, the U.S. large-model unicornAnthropicSecuring a new round of funding with a valuation of $61.5 billion (approximately RMB 430.98 billion), this has positioned the companySeven co-foundersAll have joined the ranks of billionaires. In 2025, Anthropic raised $16.5 billion (approximately RMB 115.63 billion) from investors, with its valuation rising to$183 billion (approximately RMB 1.28 trillion).

(2) AI Infrastructure

Tech giants and AI startups are ramping up spending to build AI infrastructure. In January this year, Trump announced the “Stargate” data center project, while OpenAI, SoftBank, and Oracle jointly invested $500 billion (approximately RMB 3.5 trillion) to establish a company, marking the beginning of tech firms' push to expand AI infrastructure. Meta, Alphabet (Google's parent company), and Microsoft have each pledged over $65 billion (approximately RMB 455.51 billion) this year to build AI infrastructure.

Thanks to robust demand for data centers,Several companies building infrastructure for AI have also produced over a dozen billionaires.including U.S.-based Semiconductor Network CompanyAstera LabsData Center Real Estate CompanyFermiSouth Korean chipmakerISU PetasysSouth Korean Electrical Transformer ManufacturerSanil Electricand U.S. cloud computing providersCoreWeaveCo-founder of the company.

In terms of data infrastructure, a notable event this year was Meta's acquisition of U.S.-based AI data annotation startup Scale AI. In June, Meta acquired a 49.1% stake in Scale AI for over $14 billion (approximately RMB 98.11 billion) and also recruited the company's co-founder and CEO, Tao Wang. This transaction will...Scale AIpushed the valuation up to$29 billion (approximately RMB 203.23 billion), allowing the co-founder of this companyLucy GuoLucy Guo, who left the company in 2018 but retained her shares, became one of the world's youngest self-made female billionaires, with an estimated net worth of$1.4 billion (approximately RMB 9.81 billion).

Meta's investment in Scale AI has prompted concerns among some of Scale AI's clients and competitors about its ability to maintain neutrality and protect customer data post-investment. Consequently, this deal has inadvertently created growth opportunities for other data annotation startups. According to Forbes estimates, Scale AI's competitors...Surge AISurge AI's $1.2 billion (approximately RMB 8.41 billion) in revenue last year propelled its valuation to $24 billion (approximately RMB 168.19 billion), according to the company's founder.Edwin Chenholds approximately 751 shares of the company, valued at approximately$18 billion (approximately RMB 126.14 billion)joined the ranks of billionaires.

(3) AI Applications

Scale AI's impact also extends to U.S. AI recruitment startup Mercor. After securing $250 million (approximately RMB 1.75 billion) in funding this October, Mercor reached a valuation of $10 billion (approximately RMB 70.08 billion), positioning it as a leading player in the field.Three Gen Z co-founders Adarsh Hiremath, Brendan Foody, and Surya MidhaBecoming the youngest self-made billionaires in history, each with an estimated net worth of approximately$2.2 billion (approximately RMB 15.42 billion).

In September this year, OpenAI released its flagship video and audio model Sora 2. The model and its generated AI images and videos went viral on social media, prompting billions of dollars in funding to flow into multimodal AI startups focused on images, videos, and audio. For example, U.S.-based AI audio generation startup...ElevenLabsThe two co-foundersPiotr Dabkowski and Mati StaniszewskiIn October of this year, he became a billionaire when ElevenLabs secured $100 million (approximately RMB 700 million) in funding, achieving a valuation of $6.6 billion (approximately RMB 46.25 billion).

According to Gallup's Workplace Survey, weekly AI usage in the workplace has risen from 111% in 2023 to 231% this year. Among developers, AI adoption rates are even higher. This year, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella—whose personal wealth also surpassed $100 billion due to AI advancements—revealed that a staggering 301% of Microsoft's code is generated by AI.AI Programming Toolsstart-up (company, phase etc)CursorThe valuation of parent company Anysphere reached $29 billion (approximately RMB 203.23 billion) in November, making the companyThe four co-founders became billionaires..

Enterprises that deeply integrate AI, such as video game companiesPaper Folding GameLanguage Translation SoftwareTransPerfectAI robot manufacturersOrbbecitscreatorThey are also among the ranks of billionaires.

02.Assets peaked at 126.1 billion, Gen Z takes the stage  Scale AI's Female Co-Founders Surpass Taylor Swift

Among the more than 50 newly minted billionaires, someAI Star Startups and EntrepreneursThese high-profile companies have captured public attention, serving as representative examples in terms of valuation, funding, and founding teams. Below are some of the well-known AI startup founders who became billionaires this year, as listed by Forbes (ranked by wealth from highest to lowest):

1. Surge AI: Edwin Chen

Edwin Chen, Founder of Surge AIAt 37 years old, his net worth has reached$18 billion (approximately RMB 126.14 billion)Its wealth originates from Surge AI.

Edwin Chen studied linguistics and mathematics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Before founding Surge AI, he worked as a machine learning engineer at Facebook (now Meta), Dropbox, Google, and Twitter (now X), developing recommendation and search algorithms while helping to collect the data needed to train them.

In less than five years, Surge AI has experienced rapid growth, achieving $1.2 billion in revenue (approximately RMB 8.41 billion) by 2024. Without venture capital backing, the company has reached a valuation of $24 billion (approximately RMB 168.19 billion) through its client base—including Google, Meta, Microsoft, and AI labs Anthropic and Mistral—alongside its revenue streams.

It is estimated that Edwin Chen holds approximately75%shares worth approximately $18 billion (about RMB 126.14 billion), making himThe wealthiest new entrant and youngest member on this year's Forbes 400 list of America's richest individuals.

2. Sierra: Bret Taylor and Clay Bavor

Sierra, a U.S.-based conversational AI startup for customer service, co-founderBret Taylortogether withClay BavorIn September of this year, he became a billionaire when Sierra secured $3.5 billion (approximately RMB 25.23 billion) in funding, achieving a valuation of $10 billion (approximately RMB 70.08 billion). Currently, each individual's net worth stands at$2.5 billion (approximately RMB 17.52 billion).

Sierra was founded in 2023, offering a customizable AI customer service system that connects to multiple large language models. It supports highly stable conversational services for hundreds of large enterprises.AI AgentReplacing human customer service representatives, such as American outdoor brand The North Face and American electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian.

According to the company's data, over half of Sierra's clients generate annual revenues exceeding $1 billion (approximately RMB 7 billion), with 201 clients surpassing $10 billion (approximately RMB 70 billion). Forbes estimates that Taylor and Bawer each hold approximately25%shares.

▲Left: Bret Taylor, Right: Clay Bavor

3. Mercor: Adarsh Hiremath, Brendan Foody, and Surya Midha

In October this year, three post-2000 co-founders of MercorShiremas, Fudi, and MidhaBecome the first everThe youngest self-made billionaireSurpassing Meta founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who became a billionaire at age 23 over two decades ago, the three co-founders each hold a net worth of$2.2 billion (approximately RMB 15.42 billion).

Mercor was founded in 2023 as an AI-powered recruitment platform that helps employers and job seekers achieve precise matching. Its core features include resume screening, candidate matching, AI-driven interviews, and global compensation management. Clients include OpenAI, Anthropic, and Meta. Forbes estimates each co-founder holds approximately 221 million shares in the company.

▲From left to right: Adarsh Hiremath, Brendan Foody, and Surya Midha

4. Lovable: Anton Osika and Fabian Hedin

Osika and HedinHe is the co-founder of Lovable, a U.S.-based Vibe Coding startup, with a net worth of$1.6 billion (approximately RMB 11.21 billion)In December this year, Lovable secured $330 million (approximately RMB 2.31 billion) in funding, achieving a valuation of $6.6 billion (approximately RMB 46.25 billion). The two co-founders have since become billionaires.

Lovable provides a conversational app-building platform that allows users to create and iterate websites or applications through dialogue with AI. Its services cater to non-technical users, enabling even those without programming experience to build websites and applications using text prompts. The company achieved over $100 million (approximately RMB 700 million) in annual recurring revenue within just eight months, becoming the fastest-growing software company in history. According to Forbes estimates, co-founders Oskars and Hedin each hold approximately 24.1% of the company's shares.

▲Left: Anton Osika, Right: Fabian Hedin

5. Scale AI: Lucy Guo

Lucy GuoShe is a co-founder of Scale AI. Although she left the company in 2018, she retained her shares, which have since been diluted to3%Additionally, she owns Paseses, a content creator platform valued at over $150 million (approximately RMB 1.05 billion). Following Meta's acquisition of a 49.1% stake in Scale AI in June this year, Lucy Guo's net worth is estimated at approximately$1.4 billion (approximately RMB 9.81 billion)replacing American singer Taylor Swift as the world's youngest self-made female billionaire.

In December this year, Luana Lopes Lara, co-founder of the U.S. prediction market platform Kalshi, replaced Lucy Guo to become the world's youngest self-made female billionaire at just 29 years old.

▲Lucy Guo, Co-founder of Scale AI

6. Cursor's parent company Anysphere: Michael Truell, Aman Sanger, Sualeh Asif, and Arvid Lunnemark

They are the parent company of Cursor, Anysphere.Four co-foundersIn November this year, Anysphere secured $2.3 billion (approximately RMB 16.12 billion) in funding, achieving a valuation of $29.3 billion (approximately RMB 205.33 billion). This sets a new global record for valuation in the AI programming sector, with all four co-founders becoming billionaires. Currently, their respective net worths stand at:$1.3 billion (approximately RMB 9.11 billion).

Anysphere, founded in 2022, developed Cursor—an AI programming assistant integrated into code editors that supports natural language understanding and code generation. Its clients include OpenAI and NVIDIA. The company announced its annual recurring revenue has surpassed $1 billion (approximately RMB 7 billion), having completed three funding rounds in the past year. Its valuation surged by approximately 1026% during this period. In December 2024, the company was valued at just $2.6 billion (approximately RMB 18.22 billion). Forbes estimates each of the four co-founders holds roughly 4% of the company's shares.

▲From left to right: Aman Sanger, Arvid Lunnemark, Sualeh Asif, and Michael Truell

7. ElevenLabs: Mati Staniszewski and Piotr Dabkowski

The two co-founders of ElevenLabs became billionaires this October.At that time, ElevenLabs completed a $300 million (approximately RMB 2.8 billion) funding round, achieving a valuation of $6.6 billion (approximately RMB 46.25 billion).

ElevenLabs was founded in April 2022, specializing in developing AI voice synthesis models and software. Its founders, Mati Staniszewski and Piotr Dabkowski, previously worked at Google and big data company Palantir, respectively. According to Forbes, the company ranks among Europe's most valuable startups, generating nearly $200 million (approximately RMB 1.4 billion) in revenue over the past 12 months. Half of this revenue comes from clients like U.S. networking equipment firm Cisco and Silicon Valley cloud provider Twilio, which utilize ElevenLabs' AI voice tools for customer service calls or job interviews. The company also reports that the other half of its revenue originates from YouTube creators, podcast hosts, and writers. Forbes estimates each co-founder holds 171% of the company's shares.

▲Left: Mati Staniszewski, Right: Piotr Dabkowski

03.Conclusion: AI Emerges as the New Generation of Super Money-Printing Machine

From the arms race in foundational models to the frenzied expansion of infrastructure and the flourishing diversity of application layers, this year's AI wealth landscape has spanned the entire industry chain from top to bottom, producing over 50 new billionaires.

This also means that AI is not merely the narrative of tech giants. On the list of newly minted billionaires, keywords like AI startups, Gen Z entrepreneurs, and female business leaders are equally noteworthy. Despite persistent talk of an AI bubble, this ranking suggests we may have underestimated the true pace and immense potential of AI's development.

Source: Forbes