UFC CEO Dana White recently shared insights about artificial intelligence and Meta‘s aggressive hiring strategy during a podcast conversation that touched on business, technology, and the future of entrepreneurship.
White, who serves on Meta’s board, revealed striking details about the company’s investment in AI talent. “Meta just hired like 10 kids that are aged 22 to 28,” White disclosed. “The average salary is like $65 million that these kids are making that are coming in working on AI.”
The UFC chief expressed admiration for Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, describing him as “a brilliant gangster” who is “putting all the chips in on AI.” White emphasized that despite negative narratives surrounding artificial intelligence, “there’s way more positives about AI than negative.”
White encouraged entrepreneurs to embrace AI as a business tool, explaining that the technology’s effectiveness depends on how it’s used. “AI is only as good as the questions you ask it,” he noted. “If you want to go on and use it like it’s Google, you’re missing the boat.”
The UFC CEO outlined practical applications for AI in business strategy. “You can ask AI anything about your business,” White explained. “You could have a room full of employees brainstorming on how to take the business to the next level. You could already do that with AI, then sit down with your employees and figure out how to have a lot more ideas to kick around.”
White suggested that AI can help with major business decisions, from operational strategy to growth planning. “These are discussions you could have with AI,” he said. “What would be the best way for me to run my business? Is it better that I do this stuff myself? Should I outsource it to another company and they just pay me a royalty? AI can help you with all that stuff.”
His message to young entrepreneurs was particularly direct. “There has never been a better time,” White stated. “When I grew up in the 80s, it was all old money. There was no internet. There was no YouTube. You had to go out and cut these deals with major networks and studios. You can build and create anything right now on social media, on the YouTubes, the kicks, the Twitches, any of these different platforms.”
White advised entrepreneurs to use the year-end period strategically. “Every year as you go into the new year, your mindset should be: how do I beat last year?” he said. “You should just be thinking about leveling up in 2026. Set a goal. Map out your route for 26 and figure out where you want to be as you go into 27.”