Google is launching a major AI initiative that could shape the next generation of artificial intelligence startups. The AI Futures Fund promises direct investment, access to Google’s Gemini AI models, and deep technical mentorship for founders pushing the edge of innovation.
In a blog post published Monday, Google outlined its intent to work closely with ambitious early-stage companies. The fund will offer hands-on support from Google’s research and engineering teams, alongside go-to-market specialists and cloud credits to scale AI development.
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The AI Futures Fund will focus on helping founders build transformative products powered by Gemini, Google’s flagship AI model suite. According to AI Futures Fund’s application page, startups will be granted early access to the models and receive technical guidance directly from Google’s in-house experts.
In addition to access and expertise, Google is sweetening the deal with cloud credits. These can be used to build, deploy, and scale high-performance AI systems on Google Cloud, according to the startup’s website. With many generative AI models requiring expensive infrastructure to train and operate, these credits give early-stage companies a head start.
According to SiliconANGLE, Google aims to deepen its exposure to emerging AI startups and technologies through the AI Futures Fund, giving the company early insight into innovation while strengthening its position in a competitive field already shaped by rivals like Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT), Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN), and OpenAI.
The fund will complement Google’s previous $3 billion in combined investments in generative AI company Anthropic, where it holds a significant ownership stake and cloud partnership, CNBC reports. This tie-in positions Google to shape the trajectory of multiple leading-edge players simultaneously.
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The AI Futures Fund is only the latest in a series of moves by Google to position itself as a key player in AI ecosystem growth. The company announced in March 2024 a $20 million nonprofit accelerator through Google.org focused on generative AI, followed by an introduction in September of a $120 million Global AI Opportunity fund.
The giant also launched the Google for Startups Founders Funds in 2020. According to the company’s website, the program has provided over $58 million in equity-free cash awards and support to more than 600 founders from diverse backgrounds since its inception.
The program expanded its focus to include AI startups in the U.S., with plans to extend support to international founders shortly, according to a blog post. This expansion aims to empower diverse entrepreneurs leveraging AI technology to solve real-world problems and drive innovation.
This broader commitment to inclusion in AI development has been echoed at the highest levels of the company. During his keynote at the United Nations’ Summit of the Future in September, Google CEO Sundar Pichai emphasized Google’s mission to ensure broad, equitable access to AI. “Just as the internet and mobile devices expanded opportunities for people around the world, now AI is poised to accelerate progress at unprecedented scale,” Pichai said, according to a blog post from Google.
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At its core, the AI Futures Fund aims to surface the most daring AI ideas and accelerate their journey from concept to product. According to the application page, Google wants to “enable groundbreaking 0-to-1 products and features” by working closely with founders across all stages of growth.
Applications for the fund are now open, and the founders selected will enter Google’s ecosystem with a toolkit that includes capital, exclusive model access, technical guidance, and go-to-market alignment, as detailed on the company’s website.
As investors search for the next wave of AI breakthroughs, and startups look for the resources to stay ahead, the AI Futures Fund could prove to be one of the most strategically important moves in Google’s recent history.
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This article Google’s AI Futures Fund Gives Startups VIP Access To DeepMind Models, Backing From Sundar Pichai, And Cloud Credits Worth Millions originally appeared on Benzinga.com
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