Jeff Bezos Bets Big on AI: Why Toloka Is at the Center of a $72M Power Play

In a defining moment for the rapidly evolving AI landscape, Jeff Bezos has taken a bold step by leading a \$72 million funding round into Toloka, a lesser-known but formidable force in AI data solutions. Through his private investment vehicle Bezos Expeditions, Bezos is signaling his belief in the future of human-in-the-loop AI systems — a space that’s gaining momentum as artificial intelligence demands ever more precision and accountability.

Toloka is no ordinary startup. Once tethered to Russia’s tech behemoth Yandex, the company has since broken free from geopolitical constraints through a carefully orchestrated restructuring. Now operating under the Amsterdam-based Nebius Group, Toloka is independent, Western-investor-friendly, and ready to scale aggressively in the U.S. and beyond. The firm’s mission? To ensure AI models are built and refined with data that’s accurate, ethically sourced, and reviewed by real humans.

With support from major tech leaders — including Shopify CTO Mikhail Parakhin, who now sits on Toloka’s board — the investment isn’t just financial. It’s a validation of the growing necessity for verified, human-labeled data in training today’s machine learning models.

Here’s a deep dive into what’s happening, why it matters, and what the future may hold.

Bezos Leads $72M in Toloka: Key Takeaways

Jeff Bezos, via Bezos Expeditions, has led a \$72 million Series funding round for Toloka, marking one of his most significant direct investments in the AI sector to date.

Toloka, an AI data solutions provider, offers human-in-the-loop capabilities — integrating human feedback into machine learning workflows to ensure model accuracy.

The company was once part of Yandex, Russia’s largest tech firm. However, due to Western sanctions following the Ukraine conflict, Yandex underwent a restructuring, leading to the creation of Nebius, which took over its international assets.

With its operations now based in Amsterdam, Toloka is free from the investment restrictions previously imposed on Russian entities, opening the door for Western capital.

Shopify CTO Mikhail Parakhin is joining Toloka’s board as Executive Chairman, aligning Toloka with established North American tech players.

CEO Olga Megorskaya emphasized the persistent need for human quality control in AI, despite growing automation — a clear statement about the importance of ethical, verified data in next-gen AI systems.

Nebius remains a major shareholder but has relinquished voting control to help Toloka operate autonomously and attract further investment.

Toloka’s platform competes with firms like Appen, Scale AI, and Lionbridge AI, but its fresh independence and high-profile backing give it a strategic edge.

The company’s focus is on delivering training, validation, and evaluation tools for AI development, critical for sectors like finance, health, robotics, and e-commerce.

The timing of this investment is crucial: demand for high-quality, diverse data has never been higher as AI adoption surges globally.

What Undercode Say:

This investment isn’t just a financial move — it’s a strategic shift that reveals where smart capital is flowing in the AI race. Jeff Bezos didn’t just back a trendy tech startup; he backed infrastructure — the kind of foundational tools required to scale AI responsibly.

Toloka offers exactly what AI desperately needs today: structured, ethical, human-reviewed data. As AI models become more autonomous and capable, they also risk becoming more opaque. The “black box” nature of deep learning means model accountability must be addressed at the data level. Human-in-the-loop frameworks — where people validate, correct, and monitor AI outputs — offer a reliable path toward transparent and trusted AI systems.

What makes this situation particularly compelling is Toloka’s geopolitical arc. From being trapped in Russia’s tech apparatus to transforming into a global contender, the company has pivoted dramatically. This corporate metamorphosis, led by Nebius, reflects how geopolitical tensions are reshaping tech investments — not just in terms of where money goes, but how companies must adapt to attract it.

Jeff Bezos understands the value of infrastructure. His investments in AWS, Blue Origin, and now AI data reflect a pattern: bet early on what others will depend on later. In Toloka’s case, this infrastructure is not physical — it’s data integrity at scale.

Moreover, with Shopify’s CTO involved, it’s not hard to imagine Toloka’s solutions being baked into e-commerce machine learning use cases. Product recommendations, fraud detection, customer service automation — all need accurate, unbiased data. Toloka may well become the go-to validation layer for such systems.

From a market perspective,

Let’s be clear: this is not a safe bet — it’s a high-stakes play in a fiercely competitive niche. Giants like Appen and Scale AI already dominate the field, but Toloka has a rare mix: a bold backer, technical legitimacy, and now — geopolitical clarity.

For developers, enterprises, and investors watching the evolution of trustworthy AI, this is a company worth tracking. Not for what it is today, but for what it might enable tomorrow: an AI ecosystem that is transparent, testable, and trusted by default.

Fact Checker Results

Confirmed: Toloka is now separate from Yandex via Nebius restructuring.
Verified: Jeff Bezos, through Bezos Expeditions, led the \$72M round.
Confirmed: Shopify CTO Mikhail Parakhin is now on Toloka’s board.

Prediction

Toloka will likely secure a second funding round within 18 months, targeting over \$150M in capital, and may file for an IPO within 3 years. With its increasing credibility and growing U.S. presence, Toloka could become a central player in AI auditing, offering compliance-as-a-service models as regulatory pressures mount on AI transparency worldwide.