Israeli synthetic intelligence firm AI21 Labs, co-founded by Prof. Amnon Shashua, has formally denied talks for its acquisition by Nvidia, following quite a few media reviews on the matter. “AI21 values Nvidia as a enterprise associate and investor however reviews of negotiations for a doable acquisition are incorrect. The corporate has not held discussions with Nvidia about an acquisition.”
The corporate has issued this assertion, regardless that two weeks in the past it declined to formally deny such negotiations and most well-liked not to reply to the reviews. Moreover, each Shashua and co-CEO Ori Goshen have beforehand spoken publicly about negotiations with Nvidia, though it was unclear from their statements whether or not these had been negotiations for an acquisition, elevating funds or another sort of deal.
Instantly after reviews within the Israeli media a couple of doable sale to Nvidia on the finish of final month, Goshen wrote in an inner electronic mail obtained by Globes that, “A few of you might have seen a information merchandise printed this morning a couple of deal between Nvidia and AI21. It’s essential for us to clarify: The merchandise was denied each by us and by Nvidia, though the reporter selected to publish it anyway. “As now we have disclosed to you, we’re in talks with a variety of potential entities, together with Nvidia. This can be a persevering with and discreet course of, and it doesn’t point out a particular deal or any instant change. The corporate continues to function as standard; we’re within the closing levels of planning the primary quarter with the managers of the varied items, within the gentle of our strategic focus. If and when there’s something concrete to share with you, you may be the primary to know, with full transparency and in an orderly method.”
Why did the denial come now?
AI21, for its half, would have continued to keep up official silence, had been it not for an interview that Prof. Shashua just lately gave “Bloomberg” as a part of the corporate’s public relations marketing campaign throughout its bulletins on the CES electronics convention. On Wednesday, Shashua was interviewed by “Bloomberg” and confirmed that “AI21 has had talks with Nvidia and different corporations, however there is no such thing as a deal that’s near maturity. There are talks with Nvidia and others, however nothing is shut sufficient to speak about it within the media.”
Solely after Shashua’s phrases did AI21, an organization he himself based, publish a denial and clarified that it had by no means mentioned or agreed with Nvidia about an acquisition. It is sensible to dwell on the corporate’s wording, which focuses on the time period “acquisition” – and that is because of the reality that previously yr, expertise giants haven’t been buying corporations, however are turning to another construction of hiring all or a few of the workers concurrently signing an settlement to make use of their product, as Nvidia acquired Grok, and Google acquired Character.
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As well as, it’s identified that AI21 Labs and Nvidia mentioned and agreed on a $300 million capital funding spherical along with Google, however the funding was not accomplished. This leaves AI21 as a comparatively lean firm that has raised not more than $336 million since its inception. There isn’t a doubt that the corporate is up on the market, as revealed by “Globes,” and contemplating that the CEO emphasised that no negotiations for a sale by Nvidia befell, this doesn’t imply that there are not any negotiations with one other firm. With about 200 workers, income of some tens of hundreds of thousands of {dollars}, and with a comparatively low complete fundraising behind it, AI21 will have the ability to obtain affords that may return the funding in it and even perhaps yield one thing of a return.
Printed by Globes, Israel enterprise information – en.globes.co.il – on January 12, 2026.
© Copyright of Globes Writer Itonut (1983) Ltd., 2026.
