Mark Zuckerberg Overtakes Michael Dell To Become The World’s Fourth-Richest Person

Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg overtook Dell Technologies founder Michael Dell to become the world’s fourth-richest person, according to Forbes. Zuckerberg’s estimated net worth reached $266.4 billion as Meta shares climbed 4.5% to close at $777.59, their highest closing price of the year at the time.

The rally followed growing investor interest in Muse, Meta’s personal artificial intelligence agent, which had been released earlier in September. Confidence in the product helped support Meta’s stock performance and contributed to a substantial increase in Zuckerberg’s estimated fortune. His wealth had reportedly increased by $25 billion on September 21 alone, before he surpassed Google co-founder Sergey Brin in the billionaire rankings and subsequently moved ahead of Dell.

Muse’s commercial momentum has become an important element of the market’s assessment of Meta’s AI strategy. The application also reached the top of Apple’s App Store rankings for free apps, surpassing ChatGPT, according to the report. Its reception offered investors another indication of Meta’s ability to compete in a market increasingly shaped by AI-powered consumer products.

Meta’s shares had risen 17.8% since the beginning of 2026 as of September 24. The company’s second-quarter revenue increased by 28% to $60.8 billion, demonstrating continued growth across its business. Alongside its established advertising operations, Meta has been investing heavily in artificial intelligence, including infrastructure, computing capacity and the development of new AI systems.

The scale of that investment is considerable. Meta expected capital expenditure of between $130 billion and $145 billion for 2026, according to the figures cited by Forbes. Such spending reflects the company's determination to expand its AI capabilities, although the eventual financial returns will depend on how effectively it converts technological development into revenue and sustained business growth.

Dell experienced a contrasting movement during the same period. Its estimated net worth declined by nearly $5 billion on September 24 to approximately $265.4 billion, placing it below Zuckerberg. Dell Technologies shares fell 2.5% to close at $536.02, marking their fifth consecutive session of losses.

Despite that decline, Dell’s longer-term stock performance remained substantial. Its shares had risen approximately 325% since the beginning of the year, when they traded near $127. The company has benefited from strong demand for the hardware required to support AI development, particularly servers used by businesses expanding their computing infrastructure.

Dell Technologies reported record revenue of $47 billion in its latest earnings report, including $16.4 billion from its AI server business. The figures highlight the different ways companies are benefiting from the AI boom. Meta is investing in software, digital services and consumer-facing AI products, while Dell supplies hardware that enables organisations to build and operate increasingly demanding computing systems.

The contrasting fortunes of Zuckerberg and Dell demonstrate how investors are reassessing opportunities across the AI economy. Companies developing applications and platforms can attract attention when new products gain users, while hardware providers benefit from spending on the infrastructure needed to run those systems.

Billionaire rankings fluctuate with market valuations, and changes in estimated net worth do not necessarily reflect realised income or cash holdings. Nevertheless, Zuckerberg’s move into fourth place underscored the market’s confidence in Meta at that moment. Whether the company’s AI investments ultimately justify their cost will depend on sustained adoption, competitive performance and the ability to turn technological advances into long-term financial results.