UK Approves Google’s $2 Billion Investment in Anthropic

The British competition regulator has approved Google's $2 billion investment in Anthropic, alleviating concerns about the potential significant influence of the company.

UK Regulator Clears Google’s $2 Billion Investment in AI Startup Anthropic

Following extensive investigations and much speculation, the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has approved Google’s $2 billion investment in artificial intelligence startup Anthropic. According to reports from Bloomberg and other sources, the CMA concluded that Google has not acquired “material influence” over Anthropic as a result of this investment.

End of Investigation into Google-Anthropic Partnership

The CMA also concluded its ongoing investigation into the partnership between the two firms, stating that the investment does not warrant a full inquiry under merger rules. This decision follows the initiation of a formal investigation phase in October. A spokesperson from Anthropic commented post-decision: “Anthropic remains an independent company, and our strategic partnerships and investor relations do not compromise our corporate governance independence or our ability to collaborate with others.”

Google as a Strategic Partner for Anthropic

Google’s investment in Anthropic grants the company non-voting shares and consultation rights on significant business matters. Anthropic is notably the creator of the AI assistant Claude, which directly competes with Google’s Gemini. Earlier this year, the CMA had raised concerns about the “interconnected network” of partnerships and investments in the rapidly evolving world of AI.

Amazon and Microsoft Also Investing in AI Sector

The CMA has similarly cleared a major $4 billion investment by Amazon in Anthropic, without initiating an investigation. Conversely, Microsoft‘s investment in OpenAI continues to be monitored by the CMA, although the group’s investments in AI startups Mistral and Inflection have been approved.