OpenAI’s imminent $100 billion funding round and Anthropic’s recent $30 billion raise highlight a shifting landscape in investor loyalty within the AI industry. Several major investors back both firms, including Founders Fund and Sequoia Capital, blurring the lines of traditional venture capital ethics. Notably, BlackRock’s participation in Anthropic, despite its executive’s ties to OpenAI, raises questions about conflicts of interest. Typically, venture capitalists position themselves as “founder-friendly,” prioritizing the success of their portfolio companies. However, as competition intensifies, dual investments are becoming more common, even among top firms like Andreessen Horowitz and Menlo Ventures, which continue to exclusively support one of the two AI giants. The significant capital influx into AI and the unique growth challenges it presents have led to a reevaluation of these principles. Founders are now encouraged to consider conflict-of-interest policies more critically before agreeing to funding terms.
Source link
Share
Read more