The U.K. Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is set to investigate Alphabet's significant investments in AI startup Anthropic, totaling approximately $2.3 billion. This investigation follows a prior inquiry regarding Alphabet's engagement with Anthropic and its potential impact on competition. Unlike Amazon's partnership with Anthropic, which the CMA could not examine due to merger rules, Alphabet's deal has been deemed relevant for scrutiny. The CMA expects to make a decision on whether to escalate the investigation by December 19, 2024, amidst a growing trend of tech firms acquiring innovative startups.