How Artificial Intelligence Rising Stars are being Co-opted by Big Tech

In 2021, a group of engineers left OpenAI due to concerns about its focus on profit over ethical AI development. They formed a new company called Anthropic, which is dedicated to creating responsible AI. Recently, Anthropic made headlines by partnering with Amazon in a deal worth up to $4 billion. This partnership highlights the growing reliance of AI companies on Big Tech for computing power.

Anthropic had previously announced a similar relationship with Google, although the word “preferred” has since been removed from their blog post. Both companies have stated that their relationship remains unchanged. While the AI boom is expected to fuel the growth of start-ups, it seems to be consolidating the dominance of Big Tech rather than breaking it.

AI systems like chatbots and image generators require immense computing power to train their algorithms. Big Tech companies such as Amazon, Google, and Microsoft have the resources needed for this, giving them significant control over the market. Start-ups like Anthropic may have breakthrough technology, but they still rely on Big Tech for funding and computing resources.

The high cost of training AI systems has led to a surge in demand for data centers. Even though there has been an increase in warehouse capacity, vacancies remain low. OpenAI previously partnered with Microsoft in a multibillion dollar deal, granting the tech giant access to their technology. Anthropic’s deal with Amazon is less involved but allows Amazon engineers to use Anthropic models in their products.

Regulators like the Federal Trade Commission have expressed concerns about the potential for anticompetitive behavior in the AI market. The French competition authorities recently raided Nvidia’s offices due to similar concerns. However, some argue that competition exists among the small group of players with access to computing power. They believe that as efficiency improves, the cost of running AI models will decrease.

The launch of OpenAI’s ChatGPT caused a stir in the tech world, leading to a flurry of developments from Big Tech companies. Google faced speculation about its search business being threatened, which prompted restrictions on sharing AI research. Microsoft released its own chatbot, Bing, which received criticism for its hostility towards users. The pace of competition has intensified, with announcements from Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and OpenAI.

Anthropic’s partnership with Big Tech has caused concerns among AI workers and researchers. Some worry about the loss of independence if company leadership changes. Despite the deal with Amazon, Anthropic predominantly uses Google servers for its cloud computing needs. This suggests that they are keeping their options open.

Overall, the AI industry’s reliance on Big Tech for computing power raises questions about competition and control. While start-ups like Anthropic have innovative technology, they still need the support of larger companies to succeed.

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Denial of responsibility! Vigour Times is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
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