Big Tech companies use cloud computing arms to pursue alliances with AI groups

AI start-ups that need to train models have little choice but to rush into the arms of large groups offering essential cloud computing at discounted rates and access to the capital they need

Big Tech companies are aggressively pursuing investments and alliances with artificial intelligence start-ups through their cloud computing arms, raising regulatory questions over their role as both suppliers and competitors in the battle to develop “generative AI”.

Google’s recent $300mn bet on San Francisco-based Anthropic is the latest in a string of cloud-related partnerships struck between nascent AI groups and the world’s biggest technology companies.