Meta has re-entered the spotlight by announcing plans to invest about $600 billion in U.S. infrastructure and AI data centers, aiming to secure the next technological high ground.

At the same time, the company is mired in an advertising-fraud scandal: internal documents suggest that in 2024 roughly 10% of annual revenue—about $16 billion—came from ads classified as “scam ads” or prohibited products. The platform was also cited as the ad venue chosen in roughly one-third of successful fraud cases in the U.S.

These two trajectories—massive capital expenditure and a crisis of trust—are tugging hard on the share price and investor sentiment in the short term.

Over the long run, Meta exhibits a high-investment, high-growth, high-risk profile. Its early advantages in ad monetization, social ecosystems, AI talent, and data-center buildout underpin multi-year earnings potential. If AI products commercialize, data centers ramp toward full utilization, and advertiser confidence recovers, the company could enter a new growth phase.

Meta stands at a strategic crossroads: its grand investment roadmap lays the foundation for future growth, yet ad-trust issues and heavy spending could weigh on near-term profitability.

Market take

For investors willing to stomach volatility and who believe in AI + social convergence, now may be a window to build positions. Those prioritizing steady cash flow, low valuation, and a wide margin of safety may prefer to wait for risk to clear and for a decisive technical breakout.