The investment relationship between the tech giant Google and the AI startup Anthropic is much deeper than previously publicly disclosed, with a total commitment exceeding $3 billion.
According to court documents recently obtained by The New York Times, Google currently owns 14% of the shares of Anthropic - the company developing the AI assistant Claude. Although often seen as an independent competitor in the field of artificial intelligence, Anthropic has a close financial relationship with Google that goes far beyond what the public has known.
In addition to the current investment, Google has also committed to inject an additional $750 million into Anthropic this year through a convertible debt agreement. This brings the total amount Google has invested in this AI startup to over $3 billion, raising questions about the true independence of the company co-founded by Dario Amodei.
A multi-faceted game in the AI industry
Although holding a significant equity stake, Google does not have voting rights, board seats, or direct control over Anthropic's operations. However, the extent of this financial backing has raised concerns about the company's autonomy.
The situation has become even more complex as Amazon is also making a major bet on Anthropic, with a commitment to invest up to $8 billion. The fact that two tech giants are pouring capital into the same AI startup has created a strategic landscape in the race to develop artificial intelligence.
"Google is playing a multi-faceted game - developing its own AI technology while quietly funding potential competitors," according to a market analyst's assessment. "This strategy helps them mitigate risks in a rapidly evolving and unpredictable field."
Regulatory bodies have begun to pay attention to these cross-investment relationships. Concerns about large tech companies potentially creating unfair advantages have led to closer scrutiny of investment deals. However, the U.S. Department of Justice has recently decided to withdraw a proposal to require the divestment of shares in some similar arrangements.
