Google holds 14% of Anthropic equity, with a total investment of over US$3 billion

Recently, court documents obtained by the New York Times showed that San Francisco-based artificial intelligence startup Anthropic has a closer relationship with Google than previously learned. The documents reveal that Google currently owns 14% of Anthropic and plans to invest another $750 million this year through a convertible debt agreement. This has brought Google's total investment in Anthropic to more than $3 billion.

Although Google has no voting rights, board seats or direct control in the company, its huge investment has raised questions about Anthropic's independence. In the context of AI startups increasingly relying on funding from large tech companies, regulators are also paying attention to whether these transactions have brought unfair advantages to large companies. However, the U.S. Department of Justice has recently abandoned a proposal that originally intended to force certain companies to sell their shares.

At the same time, Google is developing its own technology and quietly supporting some competitors, obviously making a multi-faceted layout for its own future. In addition to Google, Amazon is also investing in Anthropic, with the current commitment of $8 billion. Against this backdrop, the future direction of Anthropic and other large AI startups is of concern. Are they still independent innovators or are they gradually becoming affiliates of large tech companies?

Today, with the increasing competition in the global AI field, Anthropic's future will not only be affected by its own technological strength, but also by its far-reaching relationship with large technology companies. As the market structure changes, how AI startups balance the relationship between independence and funding sources will be an important topic.