Jan 24, 2026
Nano Banana Pro prompted by THE DECODER
Google Deepmind made multiple moves in the AI startup market this week, closing deals with three companies at once.
Google is acquiring Common Sense Machines, a Massachusetts-based startup with around twelve employees that builds AI models for converting 2D images into 3D objects. Co-founder Tejas Kulkarni previously worked at Google Deepmind. The company was last valued at $15 million, though the purchase price wasn’t disclosed. The team is joining Deepmind, according to The Information.
Google also struck a licensing deal with Hume AI, aka a covert takeover with extra steps. The startup is known for models that recognize emotions in voice. Google gets non-exclusive rights to certain technologies, while CEO Alan Cowen and around seven engineers move to Deepmind to improve Gemini’s voice capabilities, Wired reports. Hume AI will continue operating independently and expects $100 million in revenue this year, according to TechCrunch.
Transformer architecture pioneers return to Google’s orbit
Google is also investing in Tokyo-based Sakana AI, founded in 2023 and now Japan’s highest-valued AI startup at $2.5 billion. Co-founder David Ha previously led Google Research in Japan, while co-founder Llion Jones co-authored Google’s original research paper on Transformer architecture.
According to the announcement, Sakana plans to combine Google’s AI models with its own technologies like the "AI Scientist" and "ALE Agent" to accelerate AI-powered scientific discoveries. Both partners also want to build solutions for financial institutions and government agencies with strict security and data protection requirements. The partnership could help Google catch up with OpenAI in the Japanese AI market.