# Lucy Guo # Lucy Guo Lucy Guo (born c. 1995) is an American entrepreneur and investor recognized as the co-founder of Scale AI, a data labeling company specializing in artificial intelligence infrastructure, which she launched in 2016 alongside Alexandr Wang before departing in 2018 while retaining an ownership stake. She later founded Passes in 2022, serving as its CEO to enable content creators to monetize their work directly through fan engagement tools. Guo studied computer science and human-computer interaction at Carnegie Mellon University but dropped out after two years to focus on startups, eventually becoming the world's youngest self-made female billionaire in 2025 with a net worth exceeding $1 billion, primarily from her Scale AI holdings amid the company's rapid valuation growth. ## Early life and education ### Early years Lucy Guo was born around 1994 in Fremont, California, to Chinese immigrant parents who worked as electrical engineers. She began coding during elementary school, building websites and developing an entrepreneurial mindset amid the region's innovative culture. This foundation of hands-on tech exposure from a young age shaped her path toward formal studies. ### University studies Guo enrolled at Carnegie Mellon University in Pennsylvania, where she pursued studies in computer science and human-computer interaction. She attended the institution for approximately two years before leaving without completing her degree. ## Career ### Scale AI Lucy Guo co-founded Scale AI in 2016 alongside Alexandr Wang, having previously dropped out of Carnegie Mellon University. The company specializes in providing data labeling services essential for training artificial intelligence models, addressing the need for high-quality annotated datasets in machine learning applications. At Scale AI, Guo oversaw operations and product design, focusing on aligning customer requirements with scalable infrastructure for data annotation. Under her involvement from 2016 to 2018, the startup transitioned from an early-stage venture to establishing foundational operations that supported initial client engagements and team expansion. Guo departed the company in 2018 following a falling out with her co-founder. ### Passes Lucy Guo founded Passes in 2022, serving as its CEO to address challenges in the creator economy by enabling direct monetization of fan relationships. The platform offers tools for creators to engage fans through exclusive content, live streaming, and commerce features, fostering deeper connections and revenue streams beyond inconsistent brand deals. This direct-to-fan model empowers users to build branded communities, with Passes handling payments and analytics to streamline operations. In February 2024, Passes raised a $40 million Series A funding round led by Bond Capital, with participation from investors including Abstract Ventures, fueling expansion into new creator verticals like finance. Under Guo's vision, the company has grown its offerings to support scalable monetization, including partnerships that integrate with social media followings for sustained creator wealth. ## Controversies ### 2025 class action lawsuit In February 2025, plaintiff Alice Rosenblum filed a proposed class action lawsuit against Passes, Inc., its founder Lucy Guo, and other defendants in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. The complaint, represented by firms Clark Smith Villazor LLP and Schwartz | Breslin PLLC, alleges that Passes distributed child pornography by allowing creators to upload and monetize explicit content involving minors without adequate safeguards. Plaintiff arguments center on the platform's purported moderation failures, including insufficient age verification processes and policies that enabled the exploitation of underage individuals through subscription-based content distribution. The case remains ongoing as of its filing date. ### Company response Passes issued a public statement on March 14, 2025, refuting the allegations leveled against the company and its founders as false, while characterizing the lawsuit as meritless. The response addressed circulating misinformation and defended the platform's operations. As of available reports, the matter remains unresolved. ## Dated facts _No published facts on this page yet._ ## Methodology https://factrail.ai/methodology Canonical: https://factrail.ai/people/lucy-guo