College dropout takes top spot over Taylor Swift as world's youngest self-made billionaire

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College dropout takes top spot over Taylor Swift as world's youngest self-made billionaire

Taylor Swift has been overtaken by a tech guru

A 30-year-old college dropout has replaced Taylor Swift as the world's youngest self-made billionaire, according to a new Forbes rich list.

Thanks to her hugely successfully Eras Tour, the 'Shake It Off' singer reached billionaire status after making over $4 billion.

In fact, Swift's earnings from the tour were set to be more than 42 nations' yearly economic output.

According to Forbes, Swift has a net worth of $1.6 billion, though she has been replaced as the youngest self-made billionaire in recent times.

Tech tycoon Lucy Guo has now swiped that title from her after amassing a net worth of $1.3 billion, according to figures recently published by Forbes.

Taylor Swift has lost her crown (Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
Taylor Swift has lost her crown (Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)

The 30-year-old is the co-founder of Scale AI, a California-based data annotation company which provides labelled data used to train artificial intelligence applications.

Guo previously studied computer science before dropping out of college in favour of a fellowship, which has certainly proven successful.

The now 30-year-old was just 21 when started the Scale AI with Alexandr Wang, then 19, back in 2016.

She handled the operations and product design teams at the San Francisco-based firm, while Wang acted as CEO of the company.

Despite making her millions there, Guo later left Scale AI after a reported disagreement with Wang regarding how the firm would be run.

"We had a difference of opinion but I am proud of what Scale AI has accomplished,” she told tech site The Information last year.

Despite that, Guo has kept a five percent stake in Scale AI, worth roughly $1.2 billion, according to Forbes.

Lucy Guo is a billionaire (Gonzalo Marroquin/Getty Images for Passes)
Lucy Guo is a billionaire (Gonzalo Marroquin/Getty Images for Passes)

Guo's massive net worth is due to her involvement with Scale AI, as well as her fellow startup brand, Passes.

She told Forbes of her new billionaire status via text: "I don’t really think about it much, it’s a bit wild. Too bad it’s all on paper haha."

The billionaire has previously said how she had an 'incredibly frugal' upbringing, telling Fortune that she continued to 'live cheaply' into her adult life until she had 'made her first $10 million'.

Speaking in 2023, Guo added: "Be frugal and always live below your means.

"A lot of people up their lifestyles when they start making more money, which causes them to not save as much. The more money you save, the more you can invest, which compounds over the years.

"Your network is your net worth."

Scale AI is in the final stages of permitting an offer which allows early employees and investors in the company to sell shares to new or returning investors, Forbes reports.

As such, Guo's net worth could increase even further in the future.

Featured Image Credit: Gabe Ginsberg/Getty Images / Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

Topics: Taylor Swift, Music, Money