E-commerce giant Amazon has announced plans to invest a substantial amount of $230 million in generative AI startups worldwide.
This move underscores Amazon’s commitment to fostering innovation and advancing Artificial Intelligence technologies across various industries.
About roughly $80 million investment which will fund Amazon’s second AWS Generative AI Accelerator program, aims to position AWS as an attractive cloud infrastructure choice for startups developing generative AI models to power their products.
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In line with this, AWS will provide early-stage AI startups with a mix of AWS credits, hands-on expertise, and education to enhance their AI and Machine learning.
This initiative includes funding for the second the cohort of the AWS Generative Al Accelerator program, which supports up to 80 promising startups each year.
Each selected startup will receive up to $1 million in AWS credits to access various AWS services, including Advanced AI tools and high-performance chips like AWS Trainium and Inferentia2.
To further ensure that the program is worthwhile, Amazon will enable startups in this year’s accelerator program to gain access to experts and tech from Nvidia, the program’s processing partner. Furthermore, they will also be invited to join the Nvidia inception program, which provides companies with opportunities to connect with potential investors and additional consulting resources.
Speaking on the program, Matt Wood, VP of AI products at AWS said in a statement,
“With this new effort, we will help startups launch and scale world-class businesses, providing the building blocks they need to unleash new Al applications that will impact all facets of how the world learns, connects, and does business”.
AI Startups benefiting from Amazon’s program will have access to a wealth of resources, from Amazon Web Services (AWS), which offers powerful cloud computing capabilities and Al tools. AWS has been instrumental in providing scalable solutions for businesses of all sizes, and its involvement will be crucial for the success of the generative Al startups.
For Amazon, this investment is not just about providing AI startups with the necessary funds or financial gains, it is a strategic move to ensure the company remains at the forefront of technological advancements.
Amazon’s increased spending on generative Al startups, which include its $100 million AWS Generative Al Innovation Center, free credits for startups sing major Al models, and its Project Olympus model, comes as the company looks to catch up to tech giant rivals in the increasingly competitive generative Al space.
This significant investment reflects Amazon’s broader commitment to leading in the Al space. By fostering the growth of generative Al startups, Amazon is not only driving innovation but also setting the stage for the next wave of technological advancements that will shape the future.
By supporting the global startup ecosystem, Amazon is positioning itself as a key player in the Al revolution, driving forward innovations that have the potential to transform industries and improve lives worldwide.
While Amazon claims that its various generative Al businesses have reached multiple billions, the company is however widely perceived as having missed the boat on generative Al and playing catch-up with other tech giant companies that have capitalized on the advanced technology.