Amazon has increased its investment in Anthropic by $2.75 billion, bringing its total investment to $4 billion. Anthropic, a start-up competing with companies like OpenAI and Google in developing advanced A.I. systems, received $1.25 billion from Amazon six months ago, making it Amazon’s most significant A.I. partner. The additional investment reflects the significant resources being poured into A.I. by tech companies.
Amazon’s executive, Swami Sivasubramanian, stated in a blog post that the collaboration with Anthropic will enhance customer experiences.
Anthropic recently saw a change in its investor base as the bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange FTX sold its stake in the start-up. FTX had invested $500 million in Anthropic in 2021, but the value of the investment has since grown significantly. Anthropic’s valuation tripled to $15 billion in just one year.
Founded in 2021 by researchers from OpenAI, Anthropic has been steadily raising funds to develop advanced A.I. systems. The partnership with Amazon includes access to A.I. systems and computing power.
As part of the partnership, Anthropic will utilize specialized computer chips designed by Amazon. Amazon aims to leverage Anthropic’s A.I. capabilities to meet cutting-edge A.I. demands and collaborate on chip designs.
The bankruptcy estate of FTX sold two-thirds of its shares in Anthropic for $884 million, with the majority stake going to ATIC Third International Investment. Other buyers included Jane Street and the Ford Foundation.
Darren Walker, the president of the Ford Foundation, sees Anthropic as a key competitor to OpenAI, benefiting both markets and the public interest.
David Yaffe-Bellany contributed reporting from New York.
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