Google invests in independent movie studio A24 as part of a new AI partnership; sources say Google is investing ~$75M, roughly equal to Thrive's 2024 investment

Search giant is putting about $75 million into the film company as part of an artificial-intelligence research partnership

Wall Street Journal 2026-06-22 Ben Fritz

Context & Ripple Effects

Google’s prior AI investments in the coverage centered on Anthropic, including arrangements that linked funding to Google Cloud and later reports of a possible deeper strategic commitment. This marks a move from backing a model developer toward an AI research relationship with a media company.

The investment is described as roughly comparable in size to Thrive’s 2024 investment in A24, making it a meaningful strategic stake for the independent studio rather than a routine vendor engagement.

First-order effects

A24 gains approximately $75 million and a formal AI research partner in Google, giving the studio additional capital and access to Google’s AI capabilities within the partnership’s still-undisclosed scope.
Google adds A24 to a portfolio of strategic AI relationships, extending its AI investment activity beyond the model-provider partnerships represented by Anthropic.

Second-order effects

A24’s other investors and prospective partners will need to assess how a Google-linked AI research effort affects the studio’s technology strategy and the value of its independent position.
The deal gives Google a potential learning channel around AI use in media production and operations, though the coverage does not establish which tools, workflows, or rights are included.

Third-order effects

If similar arrangements proliferate, AI competition could increasingly be fought through sector-specific partnerships and minority investments, not only through foundation-model development and cloud commitments.
For film and media companies, the durable issue will be whether AI partnerships remain research collaborations or become a route by which large technology platforms gain deeper influence over creative-industry infrastructure.

The trend: This is one data point in the broadening of big-tech AI strategy from funding AI labs to securing industry-specific partners where AI systems may be developed and deployed.

Discussion

@googledeepmind @googledeepmind on x
Google DeepMind 🤝 @A24 We're launching a research partnership with A24 to ensure the tools of the future are shaped by the creators who use them. Find out more → https://blog.google/... [image]
@benfritz Ben Fritz on x
Google is investing about $75 million in “Backrooms” studio A24 as part of a far-reaching and possibly controversial AI research partnership between the two companies. Scoop here: https://www.wsj.com/...
@cara.city @cara.city on bluesky
Y I K E S [embedded post]
r/boxoffice r on reddit
Google Investing in ‘Backrooms’ Studio A24 - Search giant is putting about $75 million into the film company as part of an artificial-intelligence research partnership.
r/movies r on reddit
Google invests $75 million dollars into A24; The companies aiming to create new tools for movie production and distribution
r/TheBigPicture r on reddit
Exclusive | Google Investing in ‘Backrooms’ Studio A24
@scottbelsky Scott Belsky on x
there are better uses of storytelling tech to discover, ones that preserve creative control and support creative risk-taking. these workflows are TBD, but excited for our Labs team to work w/ DeepMind team in this research partnership. shared curiosities, and asking the right
Ben Fritz Ben Fritz on linkedin
Hollywood and the AI industry have been eyeing each other warily for years now. Silicon Valley thinks traditional entertainment moves painfully slow. …
Helena Malikova Helena Malikova on linkedin
Google did it again: expanding its shadow market share. — Read our analysis in Project Syndicate of Big Tech's shadow market power amassed …
@seldo.com Laurie Voss on bluesky
I predict this will go great and absolutely everyone will be happy about the creative and IP outcomes that result. Definitely no problems. [embedded post]
@stevekovach Steve Kovach on bluesky
“A24 is going full AI slop” is a correct take. — I think another take folks are missing: This can smooth the transition for YouTube filmmakers from the internet to the big screen — www.wsj.com/tech/ai/goog...
r/aiwars r on reddit
Google invests $75M into A24 to create new tools for AI movie production and distribution
r/A24 r on reddit
Google DeepMind and A24 announce first-of-its-kind research partnership
@sturobson.com Stuart Robson on bluesky
AI Comes At Night [embedded post]
r/antiai r on reddit
Indie film studio A24 is replacing storyboard artists with generative AI through their A24 Labs division
r/DefendingAIArt r on reddit
Google invests 75 million dollars into A24 to create new tools for AI movie production and distribution
r/singularity r on reddit
Google is investing $75 million in A24 as part of a DeepMind AI partnership
@pinknishii @pinknishii on x
incredible how Backrooms marketing and so much of the director's stuff involves talking about how cool Blender is and how anyone can use it for production. To see that from A24 and then decide ‘yeah we need to push for ai’ is just insane. We really are in the worst timeline
@wierd_o78033920 Weird-O on x
“If I could snap my fingers and make generative AI disappear forever, I probably would. Creatively, I get no enjoyment from using those tools. It defeats the purpose entirely for me.” -Kane Parsons, the guy who just made A24 277.5 million dollars last month.

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