Updated 8 Nov 2026
Scale AI vs Surge AI, by the numbers.
By revenue, Surge AI is the larger: $1.2B (FY2024), against Scale AI's $870M (FY2024).
Both sell RL environments, datasets, expert and human data and evaluations and benchmarks. Only Scale AI sells labeling software, annotation and simulation. Every figure below is linked to the filing or article it comes from; what each sells is in its own words, from its own pages.
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Side by side
Revenue over twelve months, the newest valuation, disclosed funding and what each says it does.
| Scale AI | Surge AI | |
|---|---|---|
| Scale AI | Surge AI | |
| Place on the rankings | #5 of 78 | #2 of 78 |
| Ranked on | $870M Revenue, FY2024 | $1.2B Revenue, FY2024 |
| Revenue, twelve months | $870M FY2024 over time | $1.2B FY2024 over time |
| Newest valuation | $29B Jun 2025 | Not on record |
| Disclosed funding | $15.3B in 2 records | Not on record |
| Sells | Labeling software, RL environments, Datasets, Expert and human data, Evaluations and benchmarks, Annotation, Simulation | RL environments, Datasets, Expert and human data, Evaluations and benchmarks |
| Works on | Coding, Computer use, Business work, Robotics, Medical | Coding, Business work, Finance, Legal, Medical, Science, Images and video, Speech and audio, Languages |
| Made from | Made by experts and contractors, Replicas of real software | Made by experts and contractors |
| Takes data from companies | Through our introductions | Does not say so |
| Headquarters | San Francisco, California, US | San Francisco, California, US |
| Founded | 2016 | 2020 |
| In its own words | “Scale delivers proven data, evaluations, and outcomes to AI labs, governments, and the Fortune 500.” Its page | “Training data, evals, and RL environments built by the same experts behind our frontier-lab work.” Its page |
- The rule.
- Each company is ranked on the first of these it has on record: its revenue over twelve months (a run rate or a year as published, or its last four quarters added up; an AI segment where the rest of its business is not AI data), then its newest valuation, then the money it disclosed raising. No company pays for a place. The full method and every change to it.
- Twelve months.
- A run rate or ARR is the company's own annualised figure; a year is the year it published. Gross revenue of a human data company includes what it pays its experts.
- Pays companies for data.
- "Through our introductions": it takes companies' data through AIData.Broker's introductions and pays us a referral fee when one goes ahead. That never moves its place: the order is the money on record. "Its own programme": a published programme for buying data. "Says it buys data": its own words, linked.
- Why this pair.
- People search for this comparison: Google suggests it, read on 8 Nov 2026. Neither company asked for or paid for this page.
Selling your company's data to Scale AI or Surge AI
What each says it pays a company for its data, what it wants and when it pays, in its own published terms.
| Scale AI | Surge AI | |
|---|---|---|
| Takes data from companies | Through our introductions | Does not say so |
| What it says it pays | $10K to $1M Scale AI, data partnership page, 7 Nov 2026 | Not published |
| What it wants | Structured, de-identified records from data warehouses, chat, email, documents, work tools and business platforms. | Not published |
| When it pays | Not published. A scoping call first; a partnership can begin with a very limited scope. | Not published |
You need not choose one: AIData.Broker values a company's data free and introduces it to every buyer whose own rules take it. Value your data
On the same rankings
The lists both are ranked on, with each one's place.
- Medical AI training data companiesScale AI #4, Surge AI #2 of 26
- Best AI training data providersScale AI #4, Surge AI #2 of 53
- Coding data companies for AIScale AI #5, Surge AI #2 of 33
- RL environment companiesScale AI #5, Surge AI #2 of 36
- Best AI data labs and human data companiesScale AI #5, Surge AI #2 of 41
- AI evaluation companiesScale AI #5, Surge AI #2 of 60
The latest money moves
The newest rounds, valuations and revenue figures of the two, each linked to its record.
- 25 Sep 2025Surge AI reported $1.2B revenue (FY2024)
- 12 Jun 2025Scale AI raised $14.3B at a $29B valuation
- 8 Jun 2025Scale AI reported $870M revenue (FY2024)
- 21 May 2024Scale AI raised $1B at a $13.8B valuation
The questions people ask
- Is Scale AI bigger than Surge AI?
- By revenue, Surge AI is the larger: $1.2B (FY2024), against Scale AI's $870M (FY2024).
- What is the difference between Scale AI and Surge AI?
- Scale AI provides training data, RL environments, and model evaluations to AI labs, governments, and enterprises. Surge AI provides expert-built training data, RL environments, and evaluations to AI labs and enterprises building AI models. Both sell RL environments, datasets, expert and human data and evaluations and benchmarks. Only Scale AI sells labeling software, annotation and simulation.
- Which raised more money, Scale AI or Surge AI?
- Scale AI: $15.3B disclosed, valued at $29B (2025). Surge AI: no disclosed round on record.
- Do Scale AI and Surge AI buy data from companies?
- Scale AI takes data from the companies that hold it, through a published programme. Surge AI does not say it buys data from companies.
More comparisons
Each company against its whole field, and the other comparisons people search.
- Scale AI competitors, ranked
- Surge AI competitors, ranked
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- Snorkel AI vs Scale AI
- Invisible Technologies vs Scale AI
- Labelbox vs Scale AI
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- Surge AI vs Mercor