US Google Invests Up to ¥6.3 Trillion in Anthropic, Maker of Claude Code; Meanwhile, SoftBank Group Seeks ¥1.6 Trillion in Funding Backed by OpenAI Shares as Collateral

On April 24, US-based Alphabet (Google's parent company) announced an investment of up to $40 billion (approximately ¥6.3 trillion) in AI development company Anthropic. The deal combines an immediate $10 billion (approximately ¥1.6 trillion) cash injection with an additional $30 billion (approximately ¥4.7 trillion) investment contingent on meeting performance targets, bringing the valuation to $350 billion (approximately ¥55 trillion). Meanwhile, the day before, it was reported that SoftBank Group, a major shareholder of Anthropic's largest rival OpenAI, was seeking to raise a $10 billion (approximately ¥1.6 trillion) margin loan backed by its OpenAI shares as collateral. While Anthropic generates an annual revenue run rate of $30 billion (approximately ¥4.7 trillion) as a "business," OpenAI is supported as a "bet" by Masayoshi Son's borrowings, highlighting the contrast between "light and shadow" in the AI hegemony race. ---