Examination by CMA on Google and Anthropic termed as ‘a precautionary’ move by Analyst

The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has taken a step to formally investigate Google’s acquisition of a $2 billion stake in Anthropic. “The investigation appears to be a precautionary measure across all fronts, particularly because CMA recently gave the go-ahead to Amazon’s investment and partnership with Anthropic,” noted an industry analyst on Thursday.

According to Scott Bickley, who serves as an advisory fellow at Info-Tech Research Group, “the agreements with Google and Amazon seem quite alike on the surface. Both Microsoft and Alphabet/Google are now under the CMA’s microscope for their collaborations with OpenAI and Anthropic. However, given the Department of Justice’s recent ruling on Google’s anti-competitive behavior in search and advertising, the scrutiny on Google might require a deeper investigation.”

In a statement released on Thursday, the CMA highlighted that it had gathered “sufficient information” to commence a preliminary probe into Google’s investment. The deal, which was initially announced last year and involved an initial investment of $500 million, with the rest to follow at a later date, is now under CMA’s scrutiny.

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AndyC

Andy Curtis is an award-winning security consultant, researcher and public speaker. He has been working in the computer security industry since the early 1990s, having been employed by state and federal government, leading healthcare and banking providers across three continents. He has given talks about computer security for some of the world’s largest companies, worked with law enforcement agencies on investigations into hacking groups, and is a regular voice on TV and radio explaining IT security threats.

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