This Week in Startups The AI arms race escalates: Google’s $300M bet, Neeva’s paid search engine + So Syncd CEO | E1673
Feb 6, 2023
Jessica Alderson, Co-founder and CEO of So Syncd, shares insights on her innovative dating app that utilizes personality types for better matchmaking. She discusses how their unique algorithm, inspired by the Myers-Briggs framework, enhances user compatibility and enriches the dating experience. Alderson also reflects on the cultural fascination with personality tests and how this trend has influenced user engagement. Meanwhile, the conversation touches on Google’s substantial investments in AI and the evolution of ad-free search engines like Neeva.
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Google's AI Investment
- Google invested $300 million in Anthropic, an AI startup focused on safer AI.
- This investment is part of a race between Google and Microsoft to deploy generative AI.
Strategic Cloud Investment
- Google's investment in Anthropic comes from its cloud division, not its venture arm, GV.
- This suggests a strategic investment, unlike GV's focus on financial returns, potentially for integrating Anthropic's technology.
Round-Tripping Concerns
- Microsoft and Google invest in AI companies that use their cloud services, creating revenue from their investments.
- This practice, called round-tripping, raises accounting questions about recognizing revenue.