Google DeepMind invests $75M in A24, signaling shift from video tools to content

What happened

Google DeepMind invested $75 million（約120億円） in indie film studio A24 this week, with the two companies partnering to develop AI tools for filmmakers. Investment in AI video and media tech startups has more than tripled over the past five years, reaching $5.6 billion（約9000億円） this year, up over 43% from 2025's annual total.

Why it matters

The market is shifting beyond competition over video-generation technology itself. Video generation is becoming easier to build, with new models from China rivaling US and European products, and incumbents developing their own AI capabilities. This means the real value may now lie in content creation and end products, not just the software layer—a change that opens opportunities for creative studios alongside tech companies.

What to watch

VCs are beginning to fund AI-native or AI-powered studios. Promise has raised funding from backers including Andreessen Horowitz and Google's AI Futures Fund, and London-based Wonder raised $12 million（約19億円） from investors including Atomico and LocalGlobe.