The 20 Richest AI Billionaires in the World

The AI industry is creating enormous wealth for some of the world’s most influential entrepreneurs and CEOs. According to some estimates, the AI boom has added $150 billion to the net worth of the global elite, thanks to the surge of interest and investment in large language models like ChatGPT. In this article, we will introduce you to some 20 wealthiest billionaires in AI, who are leading the charge in this rapidly evolving field.

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1. Jensen Huang

Jensen Huang, the founder and CEO of Nvidia, has seen his net worth more than double in the past year thanks to the company’s success in the AI chip market. Huang made his fortune through the success of Nvidia. The company’s GPUs are used in a wide range of applications, including gaming, data centers, and self-driving cars. In recent years, Nvidia has also become a major player in the AI chip market. Huang’s net worth has grown significantly in recent years. In 2021, his net worth was $16.8 billion. In 2022, it grew to $28.1 billion. And as of July 2023, it is $40.7 billion. He is one of the richest people in the world. He is also one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the technology industry.

2. Bill Gates

Bill Gates’ net worth is $122 billion as of July 2023. He is the co-founder of Microsoft, one of the world’s largest technology companies. Gates made his fortune through the success of Microsoft, which develops and sells software products, including the Windows operating system and the Office productivity suite.

Gates made money from AI through his investments in AI-related companies and technologies, including OpenAI. He is also a major investor in the company Inflection AI, which develops chatbots. Moreover, Gates invests in AI research at universities and research institutions.

3. Elon Musk

Elon Musk is the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, two of the world’s most valuable technology companies. Musk made his fortune through the success of these companies, which are both at the forefront of innovation in AI and other technologies. His net worth is $234.3 billion.

Elon Musk made money from AI through his investments in AI-related companies and technologies. For example, he is a major investor in the company OpenAI, which develops and researches artificial general intelligence. He also invests in AI at academic and research institutions.

In addition to his investments, Musk has also made money from AI through his own companies. Tesla is developing self-driving cars that use AI, and SpaceX is developing rockets that use AI for navigation and control. These technologies are still in their early stages, but they have the potential to revolutionize transportation and space exploration.

4. Jeff Bezos

Jeff Bezos has made billions from AI and his net worth is $151.3 billion. He is the founder and former CEO of Amazon, the world’s largest online retailer. Amazon has invested heavily in AI research and development, and Bezos has been a strong advocate for the responsible development of AI.

Amazon’s AI technologies are used in a wide range of products and services, including Amazon’s product recommendations, its fraud detection systems, and its voice-activated assistant, Alexa. Bezos is also a major investor in AI-related companies and technologies, including ReCode, which develops AI-powered news and media products.

5. Larry Ellison

Larry Ellison is a tech entrepreneur and the co-founder and former CEO of Oracle Corporation. He is the sixth-wealthiest person in the world, with a net worth of $130 billion. Ellison made his fortune through the success of Oracle, which develops and sells database software, middleware, and enterprise software.

Ellison has made money from AI through his own company, Oracle. Oracle is developing AI-powered technologies for a variety of applications, including fraud detection, customer service, and data analytics. He has also made money from AI through his investments in AI-related companies and technologies. For example, he is a major investor in the company Clarifai, which develops AI-powered image recognition software.

6. Larry Page

Larry Page’s net worth is $112 billion and he is the co-founder of Google and Alphabet, the parent company of Google. Page made his fortune through the success of Google, which develops and operates the world’s most popular search engine. 

Larry Page made money from AI through his work at Google, which has invested heavily in AI research and development. Google’s AI technologies are used in a wide range of products and services, including Google Search, Google Translate, and Google Photos.

In addition to his work at Google, Page has also made money from his investments in AI-related companies and technologies. He is a major investor in the company DeepMind, which develops AI technologies for a variety of applications.

7. Mark Zuckerberg

Co-founder and CEO of Meta, Mark Zuckerberg’s, net worth is $105.3 billion. He made money from AI through his work at Meta, which has invested heavily in AI research and development. Meta’s AI technologies are used in a wide range of products and services, including Facebook’s newsfeed, its ad targeting system, and its virtual reality platform, Horizon Worlds.

In addition to his work at Meta, he has also made money from his investments in AI-related companies and technologies, such as Inflection AI. Zuckerberg has helped to shape the technology industry. Reportedly, he got $39 billion wealthier during the AI boom.

8. Sergey Brin

Sergey Brin is one of the co-founders of Google, along with Larry Page. He is the president of Alphabet Inc., Google’s parent company. Brin’s net worth is estimated to be $107 billion as of July 2023. 

In addition to his work at Google, Brin has also made money from his investments in AI-related companies, such as DeepMind, which develops AI technologies for a variety of applications.

Brin is a visionary leader who has helped to shape the technology industry.

9. Ma Huateng

Ma Huateng is a Chinese technology entrepreneur, as well as the co-founder and chairman of Tencent Holdings, one of the largest tech companies in the world. Tencent’s AI technologies are used in a wide range of products and services. The company also invests in AI research and development. Huateng also invests in SenseTime, which develops AI-powered facial recognition software. He has a net worth of $36.5 billion.

10. Zhang Yiming

As of July 2023, Zhang Yiming’s net worth is $59.4 billion. He co-founded and was the former CEO of ByteDance, a Chinese technology company known for TikTok.

Zhang Yiming accumulated wealth through his involvement with ByteDance, which focuses on AI research and development. Its AI technologies power various products and services, such as TikTok’s recommendation engine, content moderation system, and advertising platform. These innovations have the potential to revolutionize different industries and have contributed to Zhang Yiming’s financial success.

Aside from ByteDance, Zhang Yiming has also profited from investing in AI-related companies and technologies. Notably, he holds a significant stake in SenseTime, a company specializing in AI-driven facial recognition software.

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11. Steve Ballmer

Steve Ballmer is a former CEO of Microsoft and the current owner of the Los Angeles Clippers. He joined Microsoft in 1980 as the 30th employee and became the CEO in 2000, succeeding Bill Gates. 

He retired from Microsoft in 2014 and bought the Clippers for $2 billion. Ballmer’s net worth is estimated to be $120 billion. Ballmer has been involved in various AI initiatives, both at Microsoft and outside. He oversaw Microsoft’s investments in machine learning, natural language processing, and deep neural networks, which enabled products like Cortana and Bing. He also supported OpenAI, a research organization dedicated to creating artificial general intelligence, by donating $10 billion in 2020.

12. Colin Zheng Huang

Colin Zheng Huang is the founder and CEO of Pinduoduo, a Chinese e-commerce company. He is also the chairman of the Pinduoduo Foundation. According to Forbes, Huang’s net worth is estimated to be around $29.2 billion.

Huang earned his wealth from AI through his work at Pinduoduo, which uses AI to power its product recommendations, pricing algorithms, and fraud detection systems. Pinduoduo is one of the largest e-commerce platforms in China, and its AI technologies have helped its success.

In addition to his work at Pinduoduo, Huang has also made money from his investments in AI technologies, including SenseTime.

13. Willian Lei Ding

William Lei Ding is the founder and CEO of NetEase, a prominent Chinese technology company with a focus on online gaming, music, and e-commerce. As of July 2023, Ding’s net worth is estimated to be $33.4 billion.

Ding’s financial success can be attributed to his work at NetEase, which has heavily invested in AI research and development. The company’s AI technologies are integrated into various products and services, including online games, music streaming, and e-commerce, contributing to NetEase’s leadership in the Chinese technology industry.

Additionally, Ding has made profitable investments in AI-related companies and technologies. One notable example is his major investment in HiPhi, a company known for developing AI-powered electric vehicles.

14. Shiv Nadar

Shiv Nadar, the visionary founder of HCL Technologies, an esteemed Indian multinational IT company, boasts a net worth of $24.7 billion.

Nadar’s financial success is rooted in his dedication to AI advancements at HCL Technologies, where substantial investments in research and development have been made. The company’s AI technologies are widely implemented in various products and services, such as customer relationship management (CRM) software, cloud computing platforms, and AI-powered chatbots, solidifying HCL Technologies’ position as a leader in the Indian IT sector.

Beyond HCL Technologies, Shiv Nadar has invested in AI companies. One notable example is his significant investment in Fractal Analytics, a company renowned for its AI-powered analytics solutions.

15. Jack Ma

Jack Ma is a Chinese business magnate, investor, and philanthropist. He is the co-founder and former executive chairman of Alibaba Group, one of the world’s largest technology companies.  Ma’s net worth is estimated to be $34.5 billion. 

Alibaba’s AI technologies are used in a wide range of products and services, including its facial recognition technology, its fraud detection systems, and its recommendation engine. These technologies have helped to make Alibaba a leader in e-commerce.

16. Eric Schmidt

Eric Schmidt is a former CEO of Google and a businessman who has been involved in various initiatives related to artificial intelligence. His net worth is $22.9 billion. He left Google’s parent company Alphabet in 2020 and founded Schmidt Futures, a philanthropic venture that supports and promotes emerging technologies such as a $125 million fund for AI. Schmidt has been a vocal proponent of the benefits of AI for society and the economy but also acknowledges the challenges and risks it poses.

17. Dustin Moskovitz

Dustin Moskovitz is one of the co-founders of Meta. He also co-owns Asana, a provider of task management software. According to Bloomberg Billionaires Index, his net worth is $12.9 billion. Most of his wealth comes from his 1% stake in Meta Platforms, which he helped launch in 2004 with then-roommate Mark Zuckerberg. He also owns 80 million shares of Asana, which went public in a direct listing on the New York Stock Exchange in September 2020.

Moskovitz has made some of his money from AI, as both Meta Platforms and Asana use artificial intelligence to enhance their products and services. For example, Meta Platforms uses AI to improve content ranking, personalization, moderation, and advertising on its platforms. Asana uses AI to automate workflows, prioritize tasks, and suggest actions for its users. Moskovitz is bullish on AI but is also concerned about its risks, such as bias, privacy, and security. He has said that he supports regulation and oversight of AI to ensure its ethical and responsible use.

18. David Duffield

David Duffield is the co-founder and former CEO of PeopleSoft, a human capital management software company, and the current founder and CEO of Ridgeline, an AI-powered software company. Duffield’s net worth is estimated to be $12.4 billion as of July 2023. He has made money from AI through his work at PeopleSoft and Ridgeline. 

PeopleSoft was one of the first companies to use AI in its products. The company’s AI-powered software was used to automate tasks such as payroll processing and employee benefits administration. This helped PeopleSoft to become a leader in the human capital management software market.

Ridgeline is a company that develops AI-powered software for the healthcare industry. The company’s software is used to automate tasks such as patient scheduling and medical record management. This helps Ridgeline to provide more efficient and effective healthcare services.

19. Mike Cannon-Brookes

Mike Cannon-Brookes is an Australian entrepreneur and co-founder of Atlassian, a software company that specializes in collaboration and productivity tools for teams. According to Forbes, his net worth is $11.6 billion. He made most of his fortune from Atlassian’s initial public offering in 2015, which valued the company at $4.4 billion, and its subsequent growth in the global market. 

Atlassian’s products, such as Jira, Confluence, Trello, and Bitbucket, are widely used by software developers, project managers, and other professionals who need to work together efficiently and creatively. Cannon-Brookes is also an investor and supporter of several AI-related ventures, such as Grok Ventures, which funds startups that use AI to solve social and environmental problems, and Project Natick, which aims to create underwater data centers powered by renewable energy and AI.

20. Scott Farquhar

Scott Farquhar is one of the co-founders and co-CEOs of Atlassian. He has a net worth of $11.3 billion. Farquhar made money from AI through his work at Atlassian. Apart from his role at Atlassian, Scott Farquhar has generated income through investments in AI-related enterprises. He holds a significant stake in Snorkel AI, a company that specializes in developing AI-powered data labeling tools.

Conclusion

The 20 richest billionaires in AI are a diverse group of entrepreneurs, investors, and innovators who have made significant contributions to the field. They have founded businesses that use AI to solve problems in e-commerce, social media, cloud computing, biotechnology, and autonomous vehicles. They have also contributed to the advancement of artificial intelligence through philanthropy, research, and advocacy.

FAQs

These billionaires have generated their wealth through various means, such as founding and leading successful AI technology companies, making strategic investments in AI-related ventures, and capitalizing on AI’s applications across different industries.

The majority of these billionaires made their money through their work in the technology industry. They have founded or invested in companies that are developing and using AI technologies. These companies include Google, Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft, and Alibaba.

AI is having a profound impact on the world. It is being used to develop new products and services, improve efficiency, and automate tasks. AI is also being used to solve some of the world’s most pressing problems, such as climate change and poverty. But the technology can be very powerful and raise some issues.

For instance, the co-founders of major tech companies like Google (Sergey Brin and Larry Page) or Tesla and SpaceX (Elon Musk) have accumulated vast wealth, in part due to their involvement in AI-related projects. Google’s parent company, Alphabet, invests heavily in AI research and applications, and Elon Musk’s companies use AI for various purposes, from self-driving cars to space exploration.

Larry Ellison, the founder of Oracle, has seen significant financial growth due to the rising popularity of artificial intelligence. As of June 12, 2023, Ellison’s net worth is estimated at a staggering $129.8 billion, making him the world’s fourth-richest person. This places him just ahead of Microsoft founder Bill Gates, whose net worth is reported to be $129.1 billion. This is the first time Ellison has surpassed Gates in terms of wealth and ranked above No. 5 on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Ellison’s wealth primarily stems from his stake in Oracle. The company’s stock has surged by over 42% within the year and closed at $116.50 as of the mentioned date. Oracle reported a record revenue of $50 billion in the fiscal year 2023.

Mark Cuban, a self-made billionaire and star investor of ABC’s “Shark Tank,” has emphasized the significance of AI. He has been quoted saying, “I am telling you, the world’s first trillionaires are going to come from somebody who masters AI and all its derivatives and applies it in ways we never thought of.” Cuban believes that the advancements in AI and its applications will lead to significant financial opportunities in the future. He also mentioned that Google recently started using AI and has added $9 billion to its revenues as a result.

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