Okay, let's dive into what's really buzzing after Google Cloud Next in Vegas. Sure, they announced the shiny new Ironwood AI chip and the speedy Gemini 2.5 Flash model, which is all cool tech. But honestly, the real story, the one that tells you where the puck is going, is the lineup of absolute powerhouse AI startups flocking to Google Cloud. This isn't just about Google winning a few customers; it's a strategic play in the massive AI infrastructure wars, primarily against Microsoft Azure and, of course, AWS. Google seems to be carving out a niche as the go-to cloud for the AI avant-garde. The Heavy Hitters Choosing GCP Safe Superintelligence (SSI): Founded by Ilya Sutskever, the former Chief Scientist and co-founder of OpenAI. Need I say more? Getting SSI on board is a massive vote of confidence and signals Google's ambition to host potentially foundational AI development. The name alone tells you the scale of their ambition. Anysphere (Cursor): If you're a developer, you've likely heard of Cursor, the AI-powered code editor that's giving GitHub Copilot a run for its money. They've reportedly hit a $10 billion valuation (wow!). Interestingly, they're using Anthropic's Claude models on Google Cloud. This shows GCP's flexibility – it's not just about pushing Google's own models. Hosting a major competitor to Microsoft's Copilot on their platform? Bold move. Hebbia: This startup is making waves by using AI to sift through complex documents and pull out answers – a game-changer, especially in fields like law. They pulled in a hefty $130 million Series B backed by the likes of a16z, Index, GV (Google Ventures), and Peter Thiel. They're specifically leveraging Google's Gemini models. This highlights how specialized, high-value AI applications are finding a home on GCP. Magic: Aiming to build "frontier models" for automating coding and research is no small feat. Their choice of Google Cloud makes sense when you see Alphabet's CapitalG and former Google CEO Eric Schmidt among the investors in their massive $320 million round last year. Google confirmed they're tapping into GCP specifically for GPU power – a critical resource for training large models. Physical Intelligence: This one's fascinating – building foundational software for robots. Co-founded by heavyweights like Lachy Groom and backed by Sequoia, Jeff Bezos, Lux Capital, and Thrive Capital to the tune of $400 million (at a $2 billion pre-money valuation!). Several founders also have roots in Google DeepMind. The talent connection here is undeniable and likely played a role in choosing GCP. Photoroom: Hailing from the vibrant Paris AI scene, Photoroom focuses on AI-driven photo editing. They're leveraging Google's latest creative tools, specifically the Veo 2 video generation model and the Imagen 3 text-to-image model. This shows Google's strength in attracting startups focused on multimodal and creative AI applications. Synthesia: Known for creating incredibly realistic AI avatars, Synthesia is another unicorn (with a $2.1 billion valuation after a $180 million round) building on Google Cloud. They're using a variety of Google's models, showcasing the breadth of Google's AI portfolio. And yes, GV is an investor here too. The Bigger Picture: Strategy in Play Seeing this roster, it's clear Google is playing chess, not checkers. They're not just providing cloud services; they're building an AI ecosystem. Attracting Top Talent & Vision: Landing names like Sutskever and startups with DeepMind alumni sends a powerful message. Leveraging Investment Ties: Companies backed by GV or CapitalG have a natural inclination towards GCP. Providing Critical Resources: Access to cutting-edge models (Gemini, Imagen, Veo) and specialized hardware (TPUs, GPUs like those used by Magic) is a major draw. Enabling Competition: Hosting Anysphere (Cursor), a direct competitor to Microsoft's GitHub Copilot, shows confidence and a focus on being the best platform, regardless of the application. Fueling the Pipeline: Google also announced adding Lightspeed Venture Partners to its VC partnership program (joining Sequoia and Y Combinator). Portfolio companies can get significant cloud credits (like $150,000 for Lightspeed's AI startups). This is a direct tactic to onboard the next generation of AI stars early. What This Means Google Cloud is aggressively positioning itself as the premier destination for AI innovators. While Azure has its enterprise strengths and AWS has its market share dominance, Google is successfully attracting some of the most ambitious, well-funded, and talked-about AI startups on the planet. This curated list isn't just a customer announcement; it's a statement of intent. Google is betting heavily that by attracting these leaders, the rest of the ecosystem will follow. It's a fascinating strategy to watch unfold in the high-stakes world of cloud infrastructure for artificial intelligence. The race is far from over, but Google just showed it has serious momentum.
