Anthropic, a San Francisco startup often thrown as an independent player in the AI race, A deeper links to Google that before. The recently obtained court documents obtained by the New York Times reveal that Google has a 14% participation in the company and should pay an additional $ 750 million there this year thanks to a convertible debt agreement. In total, Google’s investment in Anthropic now exceeds $ 3 billion.
Despite the voting rights, the seats of the Board of Directors or direct control over the company, Google’s support raises questions about the reality of independent anthropogens. As AI startups are increasingly based on the financing of technology giants, regulators have examined whether these transactions give holders an unjust advantage, although the Ministry of Justice dropped a proposal This would have forced the sale of some of these participations.
Google, which develops its own technology while quietly funding competitors, clearly hides its bets. Meanwhile, with Amazon, also channeling money in Anthropic – he agreed to invest for 8 billion dollars Until now in the outfit – it is natural to wonder what these links mean for anthropogenic startups and other large AI startups. Are they still non-conforming or become Big Tech extensions?
Above: The co-founder and CEO of Anthropic Dario Amodei speaking to Viva Technology in Paris.