Alphabet gains Qualcomm stake via Modular deal as diamond wafers target AI cooling

· Tech · United States

Alphabet's investment arm Google Ventures has acquired nearly 3 million shares of Qualcomm as a result of Qualcomm's purchase of chip software startup Modular, which GV partly owned, according to a securities filing and a Google spokesperson cited by The Information. The stake reflects how acquisitions of AI software startups are reshaping holdings among large technology and chip companies. In a related hardware push, Diamond Foundry has created what it describes as the world's first 200mm single-crystal diamond wafer, designed to remove heat and prevent hotspots on AI processors. Meanwhile, world models that simulate real-world physics to teach robots and autonomous cars are expected to become increasingly widespread, according to WIRED.

Why it matters：These developments point to two pressures shaping AI hardware: consolidation of AI software assets into chipmakers, and the search for new materials and models to keep increasingly power-hungry processors cool and capable.

Key points

  • Google Ventures received nearly 3 million Qualcomm shares through the Modular deal
  • Diamond Foundry's 200mm single-crystal diamond wafer is aimed at AI processor cooling
  • World models simulate physics to train robots and autonomous vehicles

Sources (original reporting)

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