Alphabet Google is in talks to invest at least $200 million into artificial intelligence startup Cohere Inc., according to people familiar with the matter, another sign of the escalating arms race among large technology companies in the sector. Founded in 2019, Cohere creates natural language processing software that developers can then use to build artificial intelligence applications for businesses, including tools for chatbots and other features that can understand human speech and text. Last November, the company announced a multiyear partnership with Google to have its cloud division supply the computing power needed for Cohere to train its software models. As a part of the negotiations, Cohere also held discussions with chipmaker Nvidia Corp. about a potential strategic investment, the people said. The talks between the companies are still ongoing and could fall apart, some of the people said.

German AI startup Artisense has announced a €4 million funding round from Project A, Vito Ventures, and Holidu cofounder Chris Hitchen. The startup has developed algorithms for real-time 3D mapping of images. The tech can be applied to autonomous cars and robotics to help them to better understand their surroundings. The new funds will be invested in improving the algorithm, forging industry partners in automotive and robotics, and expanding its offices in Munich, Palo Alto, and Tokyo. "We see Europe increasingly becoming one of the hubs for DeepTech startups. A unique ecosystem has been established that combines innovation, research, and entrepreneurship with huge markets," said Thomas Oehl, managing partner at Vito Ventures.

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