Google Rejects $2B Quantum Grant, Launches Nationwide Listings and Backs 1GW Anthropic Leases
GOOG•Google declined to join Trump’s $2B quantum initiative over restrictive terms, while ChatGPT topped 1B monthly users, outpacing rivals’ growth of 640%–973%. Concurrently, Google rolled out nationwide Home Listings integration, weighing down Zillow and CoStar by ~4%, and backed Anthropic in over a dozen data center leases exceeding 1GW.
1. Declining Trump’s Quantum Initiative
Google Quantum AI COO Charina Chou said the company opted out of the $2 billion federal quantum funding program due to conditions that could slow its practical quantum computer development, leaving IBM, Rigetti and others as primary beneficiaries.
2. ChatGPT Adoption and Competitive Pressure
OpenAI’s ChatGPT reached 1 billion monthly app users in May, marking a 62% year-over-year rise and the fastest adoption to that level after Google Maps, while Google’s Gemini and other AI rivals saw growth between 640% and 973%.
3. Nationwide Real Estate Listings Expansion
Google expanded Local Services Ads for Home Listings across all 50 states via a partnership with HouseCanary, enabling in-app search, pricing, images and direct agent contact, a move that pushed Zillow and CoStar shares down about 4%.
4. Anthropic Data Center Lease Collaboration
Anthropic signed preliminary deals for over a dozen U.S. data center leases exceeding 1GW of capacity, with Google providing financial backing for lease payments and potentially construction loans as part of its up to $40 billion strategic investment.
