Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, isn’t overly concerned about DeepSeek’s ascension, even though the Chinese AI lab’s rapid rise has shocked Wall Street and Silicon Valley. In fact, Zuckerberg stated on January 29 that Meta’s open-source strategy, which is based on the large language model (LLM) Llama, has “strengthened our conviction that this is the right thing for us to be focused on.”
“There’s a number of novel things that they did that we’re still digesting… a number of advances that we will hope to implement in our systems, and that’s part of the nature of how this works,” Zuckerberg stated on the company’s earnings conference call. Every new firm that launches, whether or not it is a Chinese competitor, will have some new innovations that the rest of the industry may learn from, according to the head of Meta.
DeepSeek’s Gain Causing Tremors Among Established Players
With its boasts of creating a model that can compete with top-tier models from American companies like OpenAI, Meta, and Google for a fraction of the cost, DeepSeek has thrown Wall Street into a collapse over the past week, especially with regard to AI-related equities. Investors were alarmed by this since IT companies were spending billions of dollars developing their AI models and goods.
Zuckerberg stated during the earnings call that he continues to think that making significant investments in infrastructure and capital expenditures will eventually provide a competitive edge. “It’s probably too early to have a strong opinion on what this means for the trajectory around infrastructure and capex,” he stated.
Meta’s Plan to Outrun its Competitors
According to Zuckerberg, Meta plans to spend “hundreds of billions of dollars” on AI infrastructure in the long run. He declared last week that Meta will increase its AI efforts by investing between $60 billion and $65 billion in 2025. According to him, a large portion of the compute infrastructure will probably transition from the pre-training stage to creating strong “reasoning” models and superior products that will be sold to billions of customers.
Because you can “apply more compute at inference time in order to generate a higher level of intelligence and a higher quality of service,” Zuckerberg stated that this “doesn’t mean you need less compute.”
“As a company that has a strong business model to support this, I think that’s generally an advantage that we’re now going to be able to provide a higher quality of service than others who don’t necessarily have the business model to support it on a sustainable basis,” he stated.
Launch of Llama 4 in the Upcoming Month
In the upcoming months, Meta intends to release Llama 4 with native multimodal and agentic capabilities. “Llama 4’s training is going really well. Pre-training for Llama 4 mini is complete, and both our reasoning models and the larger model appear to be doing well,” Zuckerberg stated.
“With Llama 3, we wanted to make open source competitive with closed models, and with Llama 4, we want to lead,” he continued. Zuckerberg said that it will be feasible to create an AI engineering bot with coding and problem-solving skills comparable to those of a competent mid-level engineer by 2025.
The appeals submitted by Meta Platforms and WhatsApp against an order issued by the Competition Commission of India (CCI), a fair trade regulator, that imposed a penalty of INR 213.14 crore for abusing market dominance were admitted by the appellate panel NCLAT on 16 January. A two-member bench of the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) stated that the matter needs to be taken into account after hearing Meta and CCI’s initial statements. “We conclude that consideration should be given to the submission made by the parties. The NCLAT bench, which included Justice Ashok Bhushan as its chair, declared that it accepted both appeals. However, NCLAT stated that it will make a decision next week regarding the temporary respite to maintain the CCI order. The attorneys representing WhatsApp and Meta Platform asked the appellate tribunal to halt the CCI order during the hearings. The attorney representing the Competition Commission of India, however, disagreed.
What was the issue?
The CCI fined social media giant Meta INR 213.14 crore on November 18 for using unfair business practices in connection with the 2021 WhatsApp privacy policy modification. The NCLAT, which has appellate jurisdiction over CCI orders, has received challenges to this order from Meta Platforms and WhatsApp. Speaking on behalf of Meta and WhatsApp, Senior Advocates Kapil Sibal and Mukul Rohatgi argued that the CCI had overreached itself in making a decision about WhatsApp’s privacy policy while the case was still pending before a Supreme Court Constitution Bench.
The entity’s privacy policy now includes CCI. It is in front of five Supreme Court judges. According to him, it lacks the authority to handle it. Furthermore, there isn’t a complaint in this instance, and CCI reached an “erroneous conclusion” regarding dominance without considering the “effect analysis” of that. According to Sibal, “Without an effect analysis, you cannot come to the conclusion,” and the CCI hasn’t even looked at the specific data being shared. Additionally, he said that CCI had prohibited WhatsApp from using data gathered on its platform for advertising reasons with other Meta firms or Meta company goods for five years and that “they are trying to destroy the business model.”
Monetisation is the Key to Any Business
Sibal went on to say that no software can thrive without generating revenue, noting that comparable platforms like Signal and Telegram have their own revenue schemes. Additionally, search applications make money in different ways. Additionally, he requested an emergency stay on the CCI order, which was due on February 19. According to Sibal, NCALT can take up the issue and make a decision after the Supreme Court rules on the privacy policy and the legislative regulations are established. “Moreover, the balance of convenience is in our favour, as we have been operating this for years,” he continued.
WhatsApp spokesperson Mukul Rohatgi stated that everyone can use the app for free and that no one is being charged for sending “Good Morning to Good Night” messages that include videos. How is it possible for anyone to live on a free model? This sharing isn’t ominous. This is merely a business plan. These days, Facebook and WhatsApp are owned by the same company. He claimed that this type of sharing is harmless and not destructive. On behalf of the CCI, attorney Samar Bansal, however, disagreed with these claims, arguing that the CCI’s investigation and the Supreme Court case did not overlap. In response to a bench question, he stated that competition law examines commercial data, whereas data privacy law exclusively examines personal data.
According to a court petition by the U.S. company, Meta may have to “roll back or pause” some functionalities in India because of an antitrust injunction that prohibited its WhatsApp messaging service from sharing user data with Meta for advertising purposes. The Competition Commission of India’s (CCI) November ruling, which ruled that the firm exploited its power and “coerced” WhatsApp users into agreeing to a 2021 privacy policy that allegedly increased user data collecting and sharing and gave it an unfair edge over competitors, is being challenged by Meta.
In India, Meta’s largest market, where there are over 350 million Facebook users and over 500 million WhatsApp users, the CCI has fined the company $24.5 million and banned it from exchanging data for five years. Although Meta has publicly defended its policy change and stated that it disagrees with the CCI order, the U.S. corporation is clearly uneasy about the CCI’s decision, as evidenced by its appeal file, which takes a critical stance on the watchdog’s operations.
Company’s Major Concern
The business is worried that the prohibition on WhatsApp-to-Meta user data exchange could limit its capacity to provide consumers with customised advertisements on Facebook and Instagram, according to the company’s filing with the Indian appeals panel on January 3.
WhatsApp claims in public that it gives Meta access to a user’s phone number, transaction history, business interactions, and mobile device data. For the first time, Meta explained the implications of the order in its petition, stating that the data sharing ban may prevent an Indian fashion company from customising Facebook or Instagram advertisements based on their conversation with a WhatsApp user about a particular clothing line.
According to the business, using the solution in its broadest sense will probably necessitate Meta pausing or reversing a number of features and products. It affects WhatsApp’s and Meta’s capacity to continue operating profitably, albeit it is impossible to pinpoint the precise financial impact on the company. Facebook India Online Services, a registered company that sells advertising inventory in India, claimed $351 million in income in 2023–2024—the most in at least five years.
Meta’s Worldwide Concerns
Meta’s worldwide problems are made worse by the antitrust issues in India. WhatsApp was charged in 2021 with breaking EU law by neglecting to provide clear and understandable explanations for policy changes. Later on, it consented to inform EU users of the modifications.
The Indian case began in 2021 in response to complaints about modifications to WhatsApp’s privacy policies. Meta informed the CCI that the modifications did not increase its capacity for data gathering and exchange, but rather served merely to notify them about the operation of optional business messaging capabilities. According to its November verdict, WhatsApp’s policy lacked an opt-out provision and forced users to accept or risk losing access to the service. The watchdog has mandated that WhatsApp give users the option to choose whether or not to share data with Meta.
According to an internal document obtained by a renowned media outlet, Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, intends to fire some 3,600 workers who have been deemed low performers. The decision, according to CEO Mark Zuckerberg, is an attempt to “raise the bar on performance management and move out low performers faster” as the business continues to develop immersive products and AI-powered services.
About 5% of Meta’s staff, which stood at 72,400 as of September, will be affected by the layoffs. According to an international news outlet, U.S. employees should receive status updates by February 10; notices for other countries will follow. Zuckerberg stated, “Meta wants to make sure that it has the best people on its team because this is going to be an intense year.”
Meta recently abandoned its US fact-checking program in favour of a brand-new community notes initiative. Similar to X’s community notes, this community-driven system seeks to enable users to report posts that may be deceptive and offer context by incorporating a range of viewpoints.
The Roadmap of Future Operations
Later this year, Meta also intends to bring on new personnel to fill the positions of exiting staff members, who Zuckerberg claims would receive “generous” severance money. Zuckerberg also mentioned that if there is hope for their future contributions, a small number of workers who did poorly in the previous era can be kept on board. Zuckerberg revealed on a recent episode of The Joe Rogan Experience that Meta and other top tech companies are developing AI systems to tackle complicated coding chores that are typically performed by human programmers. He also mentioned ambitions to use artificial intelligence (AI) to replace mid-level software engineers by 2025 during the conversation.
Other Giants Joining the Job Cut Game
Meta is not alone, though, in indicating that AI developments are driving firm reorganisation. As part of a larger trend in the tech sector, industry heavyweights like Microsoft and Salesforce have also revealed plans to reduce their workforces. In a 20VC podcast with Harry Stebbing, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff disclosed that the SaaS giant’s 2025 business plan calls for a significant cutback in the hiring of software engineers for the upcoming year. Agentforce, the company’s proprietary AI platform, is anticipated to encourage a 30% adoption rate among engineering teams.
“We no longer need additional software engineers because our engineering productivity has grown by 30%,” Benioff said. He asserted that AI had radically altered the way brand operate. Benioff stated that Salesforce will now concentrate on growing its sales team by 1,000 to 2,000 individuals, even if the business intends to eliminate its support engineering positions. Benioff emphasised that Salesforce closed 200 sales in five days during the October-ending quarter after the debut of Agentforce. This quarter, the company now wants to close thousands of Agentforce sales.
The Competition Commission of India hit WhatsApp and its parent company Meta with an INR 213.14 crore (roughly USD 25.3 million) fine on 17 November for violating the Competition Act and abusing its dominant position through the 2021 update to WhatsApp’s privacy policy. WhatsApp has been directed by the CCI to refrain from sharing user data for advertising reasons with other Meta firms (like Facebook and Instagram) for a period of five years.
Additionally, the CCI has prohibited WhatsApp from requiring user data sharing with Meta firms in order to utilise its services in India. WhatsApp’s policy must outline the kind of data that is provided and the reasons behind them when it comes to Meta companies and goods for purposes other than advertising. Users of WhatsApp must be given the option to opt out of data sharing and change their preferences in-app if their data is shared for purposes other than delivering WhatsApp services. All users, including those who approved the 2021 upgrade, must have access to this option.
Online Network of WhatsApp and Meta Companies
The CCI claimed in a press release that WhatsApp‘s 2021 policy change, which eliminated the previous opt-out option and required users to agree to the new terms, including data sharing with Meta, was an “unfair condition” under the Competition Act.
According to the report, all users were forced to “accept expanded data collection terms and sharing of data within Meta Group without any opt-out” as a result of the update. It claimed that the policy update compelled users to comply, weakened their autonomy, and indicated that Meta had exploited its dominating position due to the network effect and a lack of viable alternatives.
Creating Entry Barriers to Rival Firms
The CCI further claimed that by exchanging WhatsApp user data amongst Meta businesses for objectives other than delivering WhatsApp services, Meta’s competitors were prevented from entering the market and were denied access to the display ad market. WhatsApp’s 2021 privacy policy modification has drawn criticism worldwide for violating users’ privacy and raising antitrust issues. In August 2024, a Brazilian judge banned WhatsApp from exchanging data with Facebook and Instagram within the nation. According to a Meta representative, they intend to challenge the CCI’s ruling.
The company intends to appeal the CCI’s ruling because it disagrees with it. As a reminder, the 2021 upgrade was available to users at the time and did not alter the privacy of their private communications. A spokesperson for the company also confirmed that the update did not result in the deletion of any accounts or the loss of WhatsApp functionality.
In March 2021, CCI launched an inquiry into WhatsApp’s January 2021 upgrade. Because the policy change had been contested in both the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court, Meta (formerly Facebook) and WhatsApp had petitioned the Delhi High Court to halt this probe.
WhatsApp’s case was denied by a single-judge panel led by Justice Navin Chawla in April 2021. In August 2022, a division bench consisting of Justice Subramonium Prasad and then Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma dismissed the appeal that Meta (formerly Facebook) and WhatsApp had filed against the ruling.
The multinational technology company Meta and Infosys, a pioneer in next-generation digital services and consulting, bolstered their partnership on October 23, 2024, to promote generative AI innovation through open-source projects. Infosys is a firm believer in democratising AI and is a major supporter of open-source software. By utilising Meta’s Llama stack, a collection of open-source big language models and tools, Infosys is propelling notable progress in artificial intelligence and encouraging creativity in several sectors.
Infosys has announced a Meta centre of excellence (COE) aimed at boosting enterprise AI integration while facilitating internal adoption and contributions to open-source communities in order to promote innovation and hasten the implementation of Meta’s Llama stack. In order to facilitate customers’ smooth adoption of the Llama stack, this centre will create use cases tailored to the industry, enable a sizable skill pool on the Llama stack, and work closely with Meta.
Integrating the Llama Models With Infosys Topaz
As a pioneer in open-source AI innovation, Infosys is a launch partner and early adopter of the Llama 3.1 and 3.2 models. By combining the Llama models with Infosys Topaz, an AI-first suite of platforms, services, and solutions that use generative AI technology, Infosys is developing cutting-edge AI solutions to boost business value for companies all around the world.
One such innovation is the Llama-powered document assistant service, which, when compared to conventional ways, helps evaluate contracts more quickly and effectively, yielding notable productivity increases.
AI Experience Zone for Meta
Additionally, Infosys built a special AI Experience Zone for Meta at its Bengaluru campus as part of the COE. Customers will be able to witness firsthand cutting-edge enterprise AI innovations created by Infosys Topaz in partnership with Meta’s Llama technology in the state-of-the-art zone.
According to Balakrishna D. R. (Bali), Executive Vice President, Global Services Head, AI and Industry Verticals, Infosys, open-source innovation is essential to developing significant digital solutions that boost productivity and growth while levelling the playing field for all companies. The partnership with Meta demonstrates the company’s steadfast dedication to advancing corporate AI technology, including Gen AI, and encouraging cross-industry innovation. By incorporating Meta’s Llama family of models into Infosys Topaz, Infosys is utilising transparency and teamwork to make AI impactful and accessible for all types of enterprises.
According to Sandhya Devanathan, Vice President and Head of Meta India, the company is excited to expand its partnership with Infosys, which is a prime example of the strategic significance of open-source AI development. The incorporation of Llama into Infosys Topaz is evidence of the innovative potential of AI to spur innovation and enable companies to fully utilise AI to revolutionise their operations. Enterprises will undergo a revolution thanks to open-source models like Llama, which will accelerate their digital transformation and allow them to grow, innovate, and compete on a global scale.
The Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE) announced on 14 September that it has partnered with Meta to launch two significant projects: the creation of five Centres of Excellence (CoEs) in Virtual Reality (VR) and Mixed Reality (MR) at National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs) in Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Jodhpur, Chennai, and Kanpur; and the AI Assistant for the Skill India Mission.
The aim of the Ministry is to equip India’s youth with the necessary skills to succeed in the current competitive landscape, according to Jayant Chaudhary, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, who commented on the cooperation. The Ministry is democratising access to cutting-edge technology and providing personalised learning pathways for the nation’s youth by incorporating artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and mixed reality into the Skill India ecosystem. Today’s collaboration with Meta is a big step in the right direction.
Sharing his views on this development, Davinder Bhasin, Founder, One Health Assist stated, “India is turning younger every day, and its youth are its greatest asset. The partnership between MSDE and Meta to introduce AI into the Skill India Mission is a visionary step that empowers young Indians to thrive in today’s tech-driven world. By equipping our youth with AI-enhanced learning tools, we are not only providing them with relevant, future-ready skills but also addressing the possible challenge of lower employment rates in the digital age.”
“This initiative will help bridge critical skill gaps and ensure that young professionals can seamlessly integrate into modern industries, from healthcare to technology. For India to remain competitive on the global stage, especially as AI becomes a cornerstone of innovation, initiatives like these by our Government are vital. At One Health Assist, we believe this collaboration is key to positioning India as a leader in the AI revolution across all industries and more so of health care, ecommerce, education, financial services, customer service, transportation etc. unlocking opportunities for our youth and fostering growth for the nation,” he opined further.
Expressing similar sentiments, Rashmi Kulkarni, Co- Founder & Director of IndoAI said, “The collaboration between MSDE and Meta is a significant step forward for the Skill India Mission. Meta’s AI capabilities will not only deliver AI-specific training but also enhance the effectiveness of existing courses under the Skill India initiative. For example, AI can be used to personalize learning in fields like welding or electronics, where virtual simulations can adapt to the learner’s pace, offering tailored feedback to improve skill mastery.”
How this Partnership will Shape Up the India’s AI ecosystem?
This collaboration will result in the development of a cutting-edge AI chatbot that will improve the learner experience on the Skill India Digital (SID) Portal and is powered by Meta’s open-source Llama model. The chatbot, which will be incorporated into the SID Portal, provides users with round-the-clock support, facilitating easy access to course information, interactive Q&A for course materials, lecture summaries, and pertinent videos for review. The chatbot will be available on WhatsApp and support voice commands in Hindi, English, and Hinglish, making it more user-friendly for a wider variety of Indian consumers. Users can also look up particular course subjects, locate skill development facilities, look through job postings according to geography and interest, and get personalised feedback for ongoing development. Additionally, the chatbot will give the MSDE insightful information that will help them better optimise the platform. The chatbot will be developed and implemented by Sarvam AI, the AI assistant project’s technical partner. It will undergo a six-month pilot programme.
It envisions a collaborative e-governance framework for adoption of impactful AI solutions with the potential to catalyse large-scale socio-economic transformation in line with India’s AI Mission by making Meta’s open-source AI models accessible to India’s AI ecosystem. Additionally, these five CoEs at NSTIs will provide educators and students with the newest VR technology so they may learn new skills and improve on ones they already know in a secure, captivating setting. Through an easy-to-use digital interface, the AI assistant partnership seeks to enhance learning outcomes, expedite information access, and offer students seamless support. The five CoEs will also boost accessibility to skill development training, enhance participation, and offer realistic simulations.
Appreciating this move, Ajay Rao, CEO & Founder, Emiza stated, “By integrating advanced technologies like artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and mixed reality, the Ministry is democratizing access to cutting-edge tools and creating personalized learning pathways for the workforce of tomorrow.”
“For industries like logistics, this collaboration couldn’t come at a better time. At Emiza, we already see the transformative impact AI can have enabling smarter route optimization, demand forecasting, real-time inventory management, and predictive analytics. These innovations drive operational efficiencies, enhance customer experiences, and significantly reduce costs. However, we believe it’s essential to foster a human-machine partnership where AI acts as an enabler, not a replacement. By blending AI’s capabilities with human expertise, businesses can unlock new levels of productivity and innovation,” he added further.
Skill India Digital Portal
Vice President and Head of Public Policy of Meta India, Shivnath Thukral, stated that Meta is dedicated to utilising cutting-edge technologies like AI, VR, and MR to make a significant contribution to India’s economic growth. The collaborations between Meta India and the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MDSE) demonstrate the company’s dedication to closing the digital divide in education. By incorporating cutting-edge technologies like Open-Source Llama, the company hopes to empower educators and entrepreneurs in addition to students by giving them the resources they need to succeed in the modern, digitally native world.
With millions of students using the Skill India Digital Portal to obtain courses designed to increase their employability, the platform has emerged as a key component of the country’s skilling ecosystem. By introducing the AI chatbot, MSDE and Meta are making great progress towards transforming the way students engage with the material and get ready for the future. Furthermore, in order to provide students and teachers with the newest technology and enable immersive and interactive learning experiences, Skillveri, the technical partner for setting up the CoEs, will supply state-of-the-art VR and MR materials, curriculum, and qualified personnel.
Rumors circulated recently that Meta was planning to shelve a high-end mixed-reality headgear that was supposed to ship in 2027, according to The Information, an American technology industry–focused business publication.
The headset was supposed to be Meta’s response to Apple’s Vision Pro, thus the fact that the company scrapped the idea says a lot about its position in the competition with Apple.
Cost Being the Big Factor
Reportedly, the reason behind such a move is the cost. Sticking with a price point below $1,000 for the new headset was a goal of Meta, which is no small task when trying to compete with the $3,500 Vision Pro. So, maybe it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the project was canceled.
The Quest 2 and Quest 3, two of Meta’s current low-cost headsets, are priced at $500 or less. This shifts the hardware focus to those models. That is far lower than the initial cost of a Vision Pro. The market for reasonably priced headsets is now dominated by Meta. Reports indicate that Apple plans to release a cheaper Vision headset next year, although it will still be unable to compete with Meta’s affordable options. Meta is probably preparing to become the budget mixed reality market leader.
What Kind of Headset Market Is Meta Banking On?
To attract the sizable demographic that cannot purchase a Vision Pro, Meta should direct its hardware development efforts toward producing affordable headsets. But this approach could backfire in the long run if Meta headsets get a bad rap for being “cheap” or of poor quality.
The possible effect on the headset market in the future makes this significant. One such example is the present state of the smartphone market. There is a common belief that Android phones are not as high-end as iPhones, even though both platforms can cost more than $1,000 and provide comparable features. While others may not give a hoot about how others see them, for other communities, the social ramifications of owning a certain phone model are extremely significant.
For example, 87% of American teens own an iPhone, according to one survey. Because of this overwhelming majority, young people may feel shamed into hiding their Android phones (and the green bubbles that appear in iMessage) from their peers. Research comparing iOS and Android users’ app purchasing habits reveals that iOS users are more likely to spend money on applications and use them frequently compared to Android users.
Even if a product is reasonably priced and has excellent quality and features, being known as the “cheap” brand can have serious consequences. When competing with Apple’s high-priced yet luxuriously comfortable headphones, Meta risks being lumped into that category if it sticks to selling cheap headphones.
In the dynamic world of today’s global economy, an extraordinary group of companies has achieved a remarkable milestone: achieving trillion-dollar valuations. These exceptional companies stand at the forefront of success and influence, leaving an incredible impact on industries and economies around the globe. From groundbreaking technological innovators to game-changing industry disruptors, these companies serve as living proof of the limitless possibilities that business holds in the modern era.
In this article, we’ll explore the list of trillion-dollar companies in the world, exploring their incredible achievements.
A trillion-dollar company is a remarkable achievement in the business world. It refers to a company that has surpassed a market capitalization or valuation of $1 trillion. This milestone represents immense size, exceptional success, and significant influence within the global economy. Companies like Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, and Alphabet symbolize trillion-dollar entities that have achieved remarkable financial success, transformed industries, and impacted our daily lives. Being a trillion-dollar company signifies an extraordinary level of accomplishment and places these companies in a league of their own.
The Trillion-Dollar Companies Club
Which was the First Trillion-Dollar Company?
PetroChina was the first trillion-dollar company in the world. On its first day of trading on the Shanghai Stock Exchange on November 5, 2007, it reached a market capitalization of $1 trillion. However, the corporation only held the level for a short time.
The first trillion-dollar US company was Apple, which hit that level on August 4, 2018. Since then, other companies have joined the club: Amazon, Microsoft, Saudi Aramco, and Alphabet. Saudi Aramco is a notable exception on an otherwise primarily American-dominated leaderboard.
List of Trillion-Dollar Companies in the World
Below is the list of all the trillion-dollar companies in the world:
Apple surprised a few and became the first trillion-dollar company in the US. By 2018, it had already been listed among Fortune’s World’s Most Powerful 50 companies for several years running; but that didn’t last long as Apple sunk below $800 billion by 2019, thanks in part to the US stock market, which has plagued many American enterprises over that past year. However, the stock rose in 2019, and the company’s market capitalization reached $1.3 trillion in early December.
The company became the first one in the United States to reach a valuation of $2 trillion on August 19, 2020; on Jan. 3, 2022, Apple became the first U.S. company to reach $3 trillion. Apple’s market capitalization is higher than the GDP of entire countries like Italy, Canada, Australia, and Brazil.
Apple’s remarkable journey in the stock market highlights its resilience and ability to bounce back, setting unprecedented market milestones that have solidified its position as a global powerhouse.
How Apple, Microsoft, and Amazon Hit a $1 Trillion Valuation
NVIDIA
Company Name
NVIDIA Corp. (NVDA)
Headquarters
Santa Clara, California, United States
Founder
Jensen Huang, Chris Malachowsky, Curtis Priem
Founded
1993
NVIDIA – Trillion-Dollar Companies in the World
NVIDIA, a popular technology giant renowned for its advanced graphical processor units (GPUs), has accomplished an extraordinary feat by entering the exclusive trillion-dollar club on May 30, 2023.
With a strong dedication to its AI-driven business, NVIDIA has witnessed consistent growth in recent years. The surge of interest and investments in the AI sector within the past six months has further boosted NVIDIA’s success, increasing its sales to unprecedented heights and playing a pivotal role in achieving its trillion-dollar valuation. NVIDIA’s market cap has seen fluctuations since it entered the trillion-dollar club, but it continues to remain a strong player in the market.
Microsoft
Company Name
Microsoft Corp. (MSFT)
Headquarters
Redmond, Washington, United States
Founder
Bill Gates, Paul Allen
Founded
1975
Microsoft – Trillion-Dollar Companies in the World
In April 2019, Microsoft became a trillion-dollar company, reaching the mark of $1 trillion in valuation. This significant milestone solidified Microsoft’s position as one of the most valuable and influential technology companies in the world.
During the last half of 2020, Microsoft became one of only three companies in the trillion-dollar club. Much like its competitors, Amazon and Apple, who also saw great success with their cloud computing services, Azure helped fuel much faster growth rates for them as well.
Alphabet, the parent company of Google, is another prominent name on the list of trillion-dollar companies in the world. It became the fourth US tech company to reach the $1 trillion club in January 2020. Shortly after, Amazon regained its one trillion-dollar market cap — the first time that four US tech stocks had reached that level at the same time.
Alphabet’s journey to trillion-dollar status reflects its unrivaled dominance in the digital landscape, driven by its innovative technologies, diverse portfolio, and extensive global reach. With Google’s search engine at its core, Alphabet continues to redefine industries, leverage emerging technologies, and shape the future of information and connectivity.
Saudi Aramco
Company Name
Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Saudi Aramco or Aramco, 2222.SR)
Headquarters
Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
Founder
NA
Founded
1933
Saudi Aramco – Trillion-Dollar Companies in the World
Aramco’s foundation dates back to 1933 when the government of Saudi Arabia and the Standard Oil Company of California (SOCAL) signed a concession agreement.
Saudi Aramco broke two records on its first day of trading in December 2019; the company hit the trillion-dollar mark on its very first day of trading, making it the biggest IPO in history. Aramco’s second record-breaking performance came the next day when its market value soared over $2 trillion.
Aramco is the only company in this club with a listing outside the US. It’s currently traded on Saudi Arabia’s stock exchange, making shares next to impossible for non-institutional investors who would like to invest in this lucrative market opportunity.
Amazon
Company Name
Amazon.com, Inc.(AMZN)
Headquarters
Seattle, Washington, United States
Founder
Jeff Bezos
Founded
1994
Amazon – Trillion-Dollar Companies in the World
Amazon hit the $1 trillion mark a month after Apple, but it was also severely affected by the 2018 market slump. However, it only took them until January 2020 when they surpassed analyst expectations with their earnings and revealed that Amazon has 150 million members in its Prime subscription service.
Over the past few years, Amazon’s value has experienced exponential growth, and its success has propelled the company founder Jeff Bezos’s net worth towards surpassing $100 billion.
Amazon has solidified its position among the top companies with its trillion-dollar market cap, thanks to its relentless growth, unparalleled customer service, and an ever-growing catalog with products from nearly every genre imaginable.
Meta
Company Name
Meta Platforms, Inc. (META)
Headquarters
Menlo Park, California, United States
Founder
Mark Zuckerberg, Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin Moskovitz, Chris Hughes
Founded
2004
Meta – Trillion-Dollar Companies in the World
Meta, formerly Facebook, briefly entered the trillion-dollar realm in terms of market valuation for approximately three months in 2021. However, similar to Tesla, Meta’s valuation later decreased, leading to its departure from the trillion-dollar club. Despite these fluctuations, Meta remains a significant force in the tech industry, driving innovation and shaping the digital landscape with its social media platforms and technological advancements.
Recently, in January 2024, Meta’s market cap once again surpassed $1 trillion. This achievement marks Meta’s return to the trillion-dollar company club after a period of recovery in 2023.
Berkshire Hathaway
Company Name
Berkshire Hathaway (BRK-B)
Headquarters
Omaha, Nebraska, United States
Founder
Oliver Chace
Founded
1839
Berkshire Hathaway – Trillion-Dollar Companies in the World
Berkshire Hathaway, led by Warren Buffett, reached a $1 trillion market valuation for the first time on August 28, 2024. This makes it the first U.S. company outside the tech sector to join the elite trillion-dollar club, alongside tech giants like Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, and others. Berkshire’s wide range of insurance, energy, manufacturing, retail, and service businesses earned $22.8 billion in profit during the first half of 2024. These businesses include Geico car insurance, BNSF Railway, Berkshire Hathaway Energy, Brooks running shoes, Dairy Queen ice cream, Ginsu knives, the World Book encyclopedia, and more.
Buffett, who took over in the 1960s, turned the company into a strong and stable empire. Despite being an “old-economy” company, Berkshire’s smart investments, including in Apple, have played a big role in its impressive growth.
Company That Touched the Trillion-Dollar Mark
Tesla briefly joined the exclusive trillion-dollar club and reached unparalleled heights of market valuation:
Tesla
Company Name
Tesla, Inc. (TSLA)
Headquarters
Austin, Texas, United States
Founder
Elon Musk, Martin Eberhard, JB Straubel, Ian Wright, Marc Tarpenning
Founded
2003
Market Cap
$657.29 B (August 2024)
Tesla – Trillion-Dollar Companies in the World
Due to a successful trading day on Monday, October 25th, 2021, Tesla’s market cap surpassed $1 trillion for the first time. Following the announcement of some exciting news from Hertz and Morgan Stanley, their stock jumped 10%.
Tesla, the renowned electric vehicle manufacturer, briefly joined the exclusive trillion-dollar club in terms of market valuation. However, its journey into and out of the trillion-dollar club has been marked by fluctuations. Despite experiencing moments of surpassing the milestone, Tesla’s market value has fallen back. This volatility was evident in April 2022, when Tesla dropped out of the trillion-dollar club. Nonetheless, Tesla’s pioneering efforts in the electric vehicle industry continue to shape the future of transportation and solidify its position as a prominent player in the market.
Which Companies Are Next to Join the Trillion Dollar Club?
Eli Lilly, a major player in pharmaceuticals with its focus on innovative treatments for diabetes and cancer, is a strong contender for the trillion-dollar club. Its long history of success in the healthcare sector positions it well for potential entry.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), a leading chipmaker crucial for technology ranging from smartphones to AI, is also a strong prospect. Despite their significant roles and growing market caps, both companies still have further to go before joining the trillion-dollar club.
However, it’s important to note that being contenders doesn’t guarantee them a spot as the next trillion-dollar companies. The race is still wide open, and only time will tell who will ultimately claim that prestigious title.
The planet is quickly becoming a country with trillion-dollar companies. Till now, only eight companies have been able to reach $1 trillion in value on the planet, and it’s estimated that this number will more than double in the coming years.
The company that will become the next trillion-dollar juggernaut is set for greatness. It doesn’t matter which industry it comes from or where it comes from, and whichever business gets its name on this list will have big shoes to fill because, if history tells us anything at all, it’s not easy to reach that level, and not to mention maintain it.
FAQs
How many trillion-dollar companies are there?
As of August 2024, there are eight trillion-dollar companies, Apple, Nvidia, Amazon, Microsoft, Saudi Aramco, Microsoft, Alphabet, and Berkshire Hathaway.
Is Tesla a trillion-dollar company?
No, Tesla is no longer a trillion-dollar company. It briefly joined the exclusive trillion-dollar club in terms of market valuation.
Is Meta a trillion-dollar company?
Yes, Meta is a trillion-dollar company with a $1.313 trillion market capitalization as of August 2024.
Which was the first trillion-dollar company?
PetroChina was the first company to reach a $1 trillion market value.
On Tuesday, Meta Platforms (META.O) unveiled the most recent version of its Llama 3 AI models, which are primarily available for free. These models compete with paid models from competitors like OpenAI and offer superior multilingual skills and general performance metrics.
Announcing the release of the new Llama 3 model, the parent company of Facebook stated in blog posts and a research study that it can talk in eight languages, produce higher-quality computer code, and solve more complicated math problems than earlier versions.
Although it is still smaller than top models supplied by competitors, this new version outshines the previous one with 405 billion parameters, or variables, that the algorithm considers to produce answers to user questions.
During his extensive promotion of Llama 3, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg stated he expects that the future Llama models will surpass proprietary competition by the end of next year. He claimed that hundreds of millions of people were already using the Meta AI chatbot, which was driven by those models, and that it was on course to become the most popular AI assistant by the end of the year.
Competition Is Getting Stiffer
The release aligns with the ongoing competition among technology companies to demonstrate that their expanding portfolios of resource-intensive large language models can generate substantial improvements in well-established problem areas, such as advanced reasoning, to justify the substantial investments they have made in them.
According to Meta’s leading AI scientist, these models will eventually run into reasoning limitations, necessitating the development of new AI systems.
Amazon is reportedly working on a model with two trillion parameters, whereas OpenAI’s GPT-4 model reportedly has one trillion.
Meta announced that it is updating its flagship 405 billion parameter model as well as its 8 billion and 70 billion parameter Llama 3 models, which debuted in the spring but are reduced in weight, with new versions coming out soon.
Meta has announced that it will be releasing revised versions of its flagship 405 billion parameter model, as well as its 8 billion and 70 billion parameter Llama 3 models, which debuted in the spring. The models are lighter in weight.
With an expanded “context window,” the three new models can handle larger user requests and are multilingual.
Benefits Llama offers to its users
Meta makes its Llama models available to developers for little or no cost, an approach that Zuckerberg claims will lead to better products, less reliance on potential rivals, and higher engagement with the company’s primary social networks.
If developers choose the company’s free models over its paid ones, it would hurt its competitors’ business models and benefit the company too. Meta highlighted potential improvements in important mathematics and knowledge exams in its announcement, which may increase the attraction of that possibility.
Nitin Konde
