Google is set to invest up to $2 billion in Anthropic, a direct competitor to OpenAI, known for its expertise in large artificial intelligence language models. This strategic move was reported by The Wall Street Journal.
Boosting Innovation with $500 Million Initial Donation
Google’s initial contribution will be a substantial $500 million, with the remainder to follow. This investment aims to bolster Anthropic in the development of a groundbreaking language model touted to be “10 times more efficient” than the current AI systems available. Anthropic, founded in 2021 by former OpenAI executives, is best known for its flagship product, the Claude 2 model. This model, similar to ChatGPT, excels in text generation, program code creation, and mathematical problem-solving.
Diverse AI Models with Expansive Capabilities
Anthropic also offers the Claude Instant model, which offers a slightly scaled-down feature set compared to the Claude 2. However, it compensates with a more affordable price point and faster response times. Both models are available not only in a chatbot format via a web interface but can also be integrated into third-party software products through an API. What sets Anthropic apart from its competitors is the ability of its models to handle extensive input data, accommodating up to 70,000 words at a time. This empowers Claude 2 and Claude Instant to generate book summaries in a manner unmatched by rival products.
Google’s Ongoing Investment in Anthropic
This latest $2 billion funding round isn’t Google’s first venture into Anthropic. Last year, the tech giant acquired a 10% stake in the startup for $300 million. In May of this year, Google, alongside other investors, secured an additional $450 million for Anthropic. Notably, Amazon also invested $4 billion in Anthropic around a month ago, with a third of the sum paid upfront. Anthropic has chosen AWS as its primary cloud service provider.
Anthropic’s Rising Value in the AI Landscape
Prior to Google and Amazon’s investments, Anthropic had set its sights on raising $4.1 billion in funding, indicating its increasing valuation, notes NIXsolutions. Nevertheless, it remains valued at a figure lower than OpenAI’s projected secondary sale of shares, estimated at $80–90 billion. These developments signal a competitive and dynamic landscape in the AI sector.