Google aims to encourage more startups to adopt its AI technologies. On Monday, the company unveiled a new AI Future Fund, which will invest in businesses utilizing Google DeepMind AI tools and grant them exclusive access to Google’s technical resources.

The fund offers a range of benefits, including early access to Google’s AI models from DeepMind, opportunities to collaborate with experts at DeepMind and Google Labs, and credits for Google Cloud services. Some startups may also receive direct financial investments from Google.

Key Highlights

• Google plans to invest in AI startups across all stages—from seed to later phases—with some receiving direct funding.
• Selected companies will gain early access to DeepMind’s AI models before they are publicly available.
• Participants will receive Google Cloud credits to reduce computational expenses during their growth.

For founders, the appeal goes beyond just funding. Startups joining the program will have direct collaboration opportunities with experts from Google DeepMind and Google Labs. Additionally, the Google Cloud credits can lead to significant cost savings as they scale their operations.

Google has not disclosed the size of the fund or the amounts individual companies might receive. This strategy bears resemblance to Microsoft's partnership with OpenAI and its own AI-focused venture fund.

This move is clearly strategic for Google. By supporting startups that leverage its technologies, Google is fostering an ecosystem where its AI models become industry standards. This mirrors Amazon Web Services' approach, where AWS became integral infrastructure for countless web-based companies.

Early access to cutting-edge AI models provides startups with a tangible competitive advantage. If you're building products using technology more advanced than your competitors', you can deliver features they simply cannot match.

Although Google hasn’t specified target industries, enterprise applications, sector-specific solutions, and potential acquisition targets are likely areas of focus.

The announcement came just a week ahead of Google’s annual I/O developer conference, where major updates to its AI models and developer tools are expected to be unveiled.