Google invests further billions in AI start-up Anthropic

Google is investing over one billion US dollars in Anthropic, which could be valued at 60 billion US dollars through further financing rounds.

1/23/2025, 1:12 PM

Eulerpool News Jan 23, 2025, 1:12 PM

Google increases its investment in the AI startup Anthropic by more than one billion US dollars. This intensifies the tech giant's efforts to compete in the fiercely contested market for generative artificial intelligence against rivals like Microsoft and OpenAI. Alphabet, Google's parent company, had already invested around two billion US dollars in the startup and is now further expanding its shares, according to several people familiar with the matter.

Anthropic, known for its Claude AI models, is developing systems for the automated creation of texts, images, and programming code. The company is close to raising another two billion US dollars from venture capitalists in a separate financing round led by Lightspeed Venture Partners, which could triple its valuation to around 60 billion US dollars.

While Google has played a significant role in developing the fundamental technologies for modern AI models, the company has not been able to keep up with the rapid commercialization by competitors like OpenAI or Meta. The investment in Anthropic is part of the strategy to diversify its own AI position and advance the development of new applications.

In addition to Google, Amazon has invested a total of eight billion US dollars in Anthropic over the past 18 months – the e-commerce giant's largest venture capital investment to date. Amazon plans to integrate Anthropic's Claude models into the next generation of its Alexa system.

The close integration of AI start-ups with tech giants came under increased scrutiny by regulators under the previous US administration. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), under outgoing Chair Lina Khan, closely examined to what extent Google and Amazon's stakes in Anthropic and Microsoft's partnership with OpenAI could distort competition. However, with Khan's impending departure, hopes are growing for a more relaxed regulatory environment.

Anthropic could increase its annual revenue level to one billion US dollars by December 2024 - a tenfold increase compared to the previous year. Despite these growth figures, investors do not expect short-term profits, as the development of powerful AI models incurs high costs. Nevertheless, they are convinced that the technology could generate trillions of US dollars in value in the long term.

I am more confident today than ever that we are on the verge of AI systems that are better than humans in almost every task," said Anthropic's CEO Dario Amodei in an interview with CNBC.

Anthropic was founded in 2021 by former OpenAI employees and focuses specifically on safety in AI development. In recent months, the company has been able to poach several high-level talents from OpenAI. Additionally, Anthropic was the first provider to introduce AI functions for controlling computers. In 2025, the company's focus is on developing so-called AI agents that can independently complete tasks and navigate the internet on behalf of users.

Google and Anthropic declined to comment on the current developments.

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