In the midst of an artificial intelligence spending spree, Meta posted stronger-than-expected results for the second quarter, buoyed by growing ad revenue even as its expenses increased.

Meta posted a second-quarter profit that beat expectations by a wide margin, and revenue that topped forecasts for a 12th-straight quarter, as active users, ad impressions and ad prices all rose. The company also provided a revenue outlook for the current quarter that was better than forecast.

Meta outperformed Wall Street expectations with its Q2 earnings report, sparking an aftermarket rally of as much as 10% Wednesday afternoon. Why it matters: The company's massive continued investments in AI infrastructure and talent — including a high-profile,