Google Invests in Sakana AI to Boost Gemini Expansion in Japan
Alphabet Inc.'s Google is making strategic moves in Japan's AI market through its investment in Sakana AI. The Tokyo-based startup, which raised $135 million in Series B funding last year, will leverage Google's foundation models to enhance its AI solutions for financial institutions and government sectors.
Sakana AI has already secured contracts with major Japanese banks, including Mitsubishi UFJ, using Google's AI infrastructure. The partnership aims to deploy Gemini chatbot technology more widely while navigating Japan's traditionally cautious stance toward foreign tech adoption.
The deal positions Google as a key player in Japan's emerging AI ecosystem, with Sakana AI serving as a bridge to enterprise and government clients. Market observers note this could accelerate AI adoption in Japan's regulated industries while giving Google a foothold in Asia's second-largest economy.
