Talks between Amazon and the artificial intelligence startup Decart are understood to be under way over a deal valued at roughly $7 billion, with the prospective purchase reflecting the technology company's broadening focus on generative AI, real-time video processing, and simulation capabilities. Sourced from individuals with knowledge of the talks, reports indicate that Amazon has been weighing an acquisition of Decart at a time when large technology firms are pressing harder to secure novel artificial intelligence capabilities.
Talks over the deal have yet to reach a firm conclusion, leaving the timeline for any agreement to take effect open to question. Reports also noted that talks collapsing altogether, or an outside party entering the process before any agreement took shape, both remained live outcomes at that stage.
Nvidia-backed funding has helped raise Decart's profile, with its Lucy model drawing particular notice for the ability to alter live video streams as they play out. Lucy's near-instant conversion of video material, as described on the company's website, points to the broader traction that generative AI is gaining across visual applications.
Separately, the startup developed and delivered Oasis, an AI model designed to generate simulated environments on demand. Robotic platforms and self-driving vehicle programmes stand among the use cases this technology is positioned to serve, with its reach across multiple industries remaining open to further development.
Decart's valuation had climbed considerably by the time Amazon's attention turned toward the company. PitchBook figures, as relayed by a news outlet, placed the startup's worth at close to $4 billion during May. At $7 billion, the proposed deal would place the company's worth above its earlier assessed figure.
A $300 million investment round, steered by Radical Ventures, brought fresh capital into Decart during the month of May. When Nvidia took a position as one of the startup's financial backers, it brought the company into a more visible position among the many organisations competing to shape the future of artificial intelligence.
Other technology companies had already looked into acquiring Decart before Amazon turned its attention to the deal. Reports from a broadcast outlet indicated that Anthropic had been weighing an acquisition of the startup around August, with the deal valued at roughly $6 billion. After finishing its due diligence review, Anthropic chose not to move forward with the potential acquisition, according to reports from the previous month.
Talks between Amazon and Decart, as reported, point to a broader pattern of corporate appetite for AI ventures focused on building out niche capabilities in video generation, robotics, and simulation. Requests for comment sent to both Amazon and Decart went unanswered, and a television news outlet noted it had been unable to confirm the acquisition report through its own reporting.
