Google Invests in Sakana AI to Boost Gemini’s Presence in Japan

Google joined Japanese startup Sakana AI’s roster of backers in a move that bolsters chatbot Gemini’s presence in a country eager to speed up artificial intelligence adoption.

The investment follows a $135 million Series B funding round that valued the startup at about $2.6 billion last year. Sakana did not disclose an investment sum.

Through the deal, the US company gains the help of one of Japan’s most valuable startups to promote Gemini in a cash-rich corporate landscape where it trails OpenAI’s ChatGPT. At the same time, Sakana is able to tap Alphabet Inc.’s language models to develop ...