OpenAI signs surprise deal with Google Cloud despite fierce AI rivalry
1 min read
Summary
OpenAI has struck a deal with Google Cloud, reports indicate, in a surprising move given the intense competition between the two companies in the AI sector.
The deal is said to have been agreed in May following months of negotiations, and will see OpenAI diversify its computing resources beyond its former exclusive provider Microsoft Azure.
OpenAI’s partnership with Microsoft dates back to 2019, but The Information reported in October that the company had been seeking data centre deals elsewhere to satisfy its massive computing requirements.
Google Cloud will now provide the capacity to help OpenAI train and run its AI models, despite OpenAI’s DeepMind AI unit being a direct competitor to Google.
The deal underscores how alliances can sometimes be formed between companies competing in the same space when arrangements are mutually beneficial.
