According to a statement from AI startup Anthropic, the U.S. Department of Justice’s efforts to enhance competition against Google in online search could have a negative impact on artificial intelligence investments. Anthropic, which is a partner of Google and in which Google holds a minority stake, argued that requiring Google to disclose its AI investments and partnerships in advance to the DOJ would discourage the tech giant from investing in smaller AI companies. Anthropic believes this could ultimately hinder AI competition rather than benefit it. The group emphasized the importance of Google’s partnerships and investments in smaller AI firms in diversifying the AI market and providing more options for application developers and end users. The DOJ is exploring ways to increase competition in the online search market following a ruling that Google has an illegal monopoly. Tech industry groups Engine Advocacy and TechNet have joined Anthropic in opposing the DOJ’s proposals, which include sharing search data with competitors and potentially selling off Chrome browser. Google has indicated that it believes making its agreements non-exclusive is the appropriate approach.
