Sources: Anthropic and London-based PE firm Hg agree to launch a consultancy by the end of 2026 to embed AI consultants and engineers into European businesses

If you are a European business looking to adopt AI, access to expert deployment services becomes more readily available and potentially more affordable.

Anthropic, the AI safety and research company, and Hg, a London-based private equity firm, have agreed to launch a joint consultancy. This new entity is slated to begin operations by the end of 2026. The consultancy's primary mission will be to embed AI consultants and engineers into European businesses. Its focus will be on advising companies on the practical deployment and integration of artificial intelligence technologies within their existing operations. The collaboration aims to bridge the gap between advanced AI capabilities and the needs of commercial enterprises across Europe, facilitating broader AI adoption.

This partnership signals a strategic move by major AI players and investment firms to directly address the 'last mile' problem of AI implementation in enterprises. By creating a dedicated consultancy, Anthropic and Hg are aiming to monetize their expertise and capital by providing hands-on support for AI integration. The focus on European businesses suggests a targeted approach to a market with significant potential for AI adoption but potentially facing a skills gap or implementation challenges.

The success of this venture could set a precedent for how AI companies partner with financial institutions to drive enterprise adoption. It implies a growing trend of specialized service providers emerging to cater to the complex needs of AI deployment, moving beyond just model development to practical application and embedding. This could lead to increased competition among AI consultancies and a faster, more widespread integration of AI across various European industries.