Reuters reported the deal is worth about $10 billion dollars.

The vendor is now using Google Cloud’s Vertex AI platform portfolio and its Gemini AI large language models to power its own copilots, ensuring optimised performance, scale and reliability for customers. 

The expanded partnership unites Google Cloud’s advanced AI and infrastructure capabilities with Palo Alto Networks’ Prisma Airs AI security platform to empower enterprises to securely develop and deploy AI offerings.

According to Palo Alto Networks’ state of cloud report released in December, enterprises are dramatically increasing their use of cloud infrastructure to support new AI applications and services. However, 99 per cent of the surveyed organisations experienced at least one attack on their AI infrastructure over the past year.

The two companies stated the newly announced agreement addresses these challenges by offering enhanced go-to-market strategies and building security into every aspect of the AI lifecycle.

Google Cloud president Matt Renner stated the “latest expansion of our partnership will ensure that our joint customers have access to the right solutions to secure their most critical AI infrastructure and develop new AI agents with security built in from the start”.

Palo Alto Networks previously had more than 75 joint integrations with Google Cloud and $2 billion in sales through Google Cloud Marketplace.

The post Palo Alto strikes multibillion dollar deal with Google Cloud appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Vallance said the UK is Europe’s leading authority on quantum R&D as the National Quantum Computing Centre (NQCC) and Google Quantum AI detailed a collaboration to provide researchers with more resources.

The agreement involves providing researchers with access to Google’s Willow quantum processor, silicon central to the search giant’s ambitions in the sector.

Vallance said access would keep UK researchers “at the cutting edge, bolstering their efforts to put quantum to work in the design of new medicines, the shift to clean affordable energy and more”.

The NQCC explained the collaboration builds on the UK/US Prosperity Deal signed by the nations’ leaders in September, along with an arrangement between Google Cloud and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.

NQCC director Dr. Michael Cuthbert said its work with Google Quantum AI would contribute to “cutting-edge science that will deepen understanding, accelerate discovery and unlock new applications for quantum computing”.

“By combining the UK’s research excellence with Google’s world-leading quantum hardware and expertise, we are creating a powerful platform for scientific innovation.”

The pair are seeking research proposals “for high-impact, innovative projects” and the NQCC plans to offer successful applicants grants to cover staff costs.

The post UK taps Google Willow for quantum research appeared first on Mobile World Live.

The laboratory is due to open next year and forms part of a broader agreement between Google and the UK government, with the company adapting several of its AI models including Gemini for use by public employees, scientists and teachers.

DeepMind’s laboratory will help “turbocharge scientific discovery”, with a team of researchers overseeing work at the facility which will be fully integrated with Gemini, Google DeepMind stated.

“By directing world-class robotics to synthesise and characterise hundreds of materials per day, the team intends to significantly shorten the timeline for identifying transformative new materials.”

It added discovering new materials is one of the most important pursuits in science, offering the potential to reduce costs and enable entirely new technologies.

Examples cited include semiconductors operating at ambient temperatures and pressure, allowing for low-cost medical imaging and reducing power loss in electrical grids. Another potential from its work could help tackle critical energy challenges by unlocking advanced batteries, next-generation solar cells and more efficient computer chips.

The company did not provide any details on the investment it would make in the facility or staff numbers.

Separately, Google DeepMind stated it would begin sharing proprietary models and data with the UK AI Security Institute as part of a push to ensure cyber risks are “better understood and mitigated”.

In September, Google pledged to invest £5 billion in its UK operations, focusing on AI research for science and healthcare sectors.

The post Google DeepMind plots UK science lab appeared first on Mobile World Live.

The plan, backed by the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), would require device makers to activate Assisted GPS (A-GPS) on all smartphones to give authorities more precise location data during legal investigations, Reuters reported. According to documents seen by the news outlet, the proposal would remove users’ ability to switch off location services.

Today, law enforcement agencies rely largely on cellular tower data that can only provide approximate locations. Technology experts cited by Reuters said continuous A-GPS access could allow authorities to track users to within about a metre.

The COAI also urged the government to require device makers to disable location tracking alerts on users’ smartphones, warning they can tip off targets of investigations.

Regulatory overreach
Lobby group India Cellular & Electronics Association (ICEA), which represents Apple and Google, warned the government there is “no precedent anywhere else in the world” for compulsory, device-level A-GPS surveillance. In a confidential letter to the government in July, the group reportedly argued the technology “is not deployed or supported for location surveillance” and described the proposal as a potential “regulatory overreach”.

The industry association flagged risks to national security, noting that smartphones are widely used by military members, journalists and judges, who could be exposed if precise location data were misused or compromised.

The ICEA also told authorities that location tracking notifications are essential to maintaining transparency and trust, arguing that privacy protections should take priority.

India’s IT and home ministries are reviewing the proposal, but no decision has been made. A meeting with senior smartphone industry executives scheduled for this week has apparently been postponed.

The proposal follows a separate privacy controversy last week after the government scrapped a mandate requiring smartphone makers to preload a state-backed cyber safety app on all devices, a move that drew criticism from companies including Apple over privacy risks.

The post India mulls permanent GPS tracking on smartphones appeared first on Mobile World Live.

The operator, the second-largest in India by subscribers, previously declined to introduce RCS due to concerns over spam.

The newspaper wrote Google recently agreed to integrate RCS with Airtel’s AI-enabled spam filter.

A source told ET the country’s operators now need to work out interoperability, which could result in an interconnect usage charge.

In August, Apple sealed its first RCS deal in India, working with Reliance Jio to enable the messaging on iPhones.

The GSMA, Google and a number of operators created an initiative covering implementation of RCS on Android devices in 2016.

Compared with SMS or MMS, the GSMA claims RCS enables better features across payments, chatbots, location sharing, high-resolution images and videos, and group chats.

The post Airtel prepares to launch RCS with Google appeared first on Mobile World Live.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) stated after it took legal action, Google admitted it engaged in anti-competitive behaviour.

Google conceded its actions “had the likely effect of substantially lessening competition”, the ACCC stated.

ACCC deputy chair Mick Keogh said the penalty “should send a strong message to all businesses that there are serious and costly consequences” for anti-competitive conduct.

“Today’s outcome, combined with the undertakings from Google and the telcos, creates the potential for millions of Australians to have greater search choice in the future,” he added.

Google earlier committed to removing certain pre-installation and default search engine restrictions from its contracts with Android device makers and mobile operators.

The operator deals ran between December 2019 and March 2021 and required them to pre-install Google Search on Android handsets.

Telstra and Optus received a share of the revenue Google generated from adverts displayed to consumers when they used Google Search on their Android phones.

In 2024, Telstra, Optus and TPG Telecom agreed not to enter into new agreements with Google which would enable its search service being exclusively pre-installed and set as default on devices sold to customers.

The post Google fined millions for exclusive search deals appeared first on Mobile World Live.

The Alphabet-owned company originally filed a complaint with the European Commission (EC) last year, accusing Microsoft of anti-competitive conduct that allegedly locked customers into its Azure cloud platform.

Reuters reported that Giorgia Abeltino, head of government affairs and public policy for Google Cloud Europe, stated the company is withdrawing its complaint “in light of the recent announcement that the EC will assess problematic practices affecting the cloud sector under a separate process”.

Last week, the EC opened an investigation into whether structural features of the cloud computing industry are responsible for reinforcing the market power of players including Microsoft’s Azure and Amazon Web Services (AWS).

“We continue to work with policymakers, customers, and regulators across the EU, the UK, and elsewhere to advocate for choice and openness in the cloud market,” Abeltino reportedly added.

The EC’s year-long probe could result in cloud players including Azure and AWS being designated as “gatekeepers” under the EU’s Digital Markets Act, which would subject them to strict regulations designed to curb market dominance and promote competition.

Settled amicably
Microsoft has previously rebuffed Google’s claims. In July 2024, the company reached a €20 million settlement with trade body CISPE to resolve a separate antitrust complaint over its cloud licensing practices. Following that deal, a Microsoft representative told Mobile World Live it expected the Commission to dismiss Google’s complaint.

“Microsoft settled amicably similar concerns raised by European cloud providers, even after Google hoped they would keep litigating,” the company said at the time. “Having failed to persuade European companies, we expect Google similarly will fail to persuade the European Commission.”

The post Google drops EU antitrust complaint against Microsoft appeared first on Mobile World Live.

The deal involves Vodacom unifying its dispersed data systems on Google Cloud’s infrastructure and integrating the company’s generative AI models into core business functions to boost efficiency and deliver new services.

Vodacom’s digital overhaul begins with migrating its key data platforms onto Google Cloud to improve governance and unlock real-time insights, followed by deploying the search giant’s AI tools including its Vertex AI platform and Gemini models to enhance customer care, optimise network performance and strengthen fraud detection.

The operator will also target AI product innovations, initially focusing on fintech services to broaden financial inclusion, along with fresh enterprise services and consumer experiences aimed at improving digital education and content access.

Vodacom CEO Shameel Joosub said the move is “more than a technology upgrade, it is a deep commitment to Africa’s digital revolution”.

He added Google Cloud’s tools would help “modernise our infrastructure” and “fundamentally shift our operational paradigm”.

The deal builds on Vodacom’s broader connectivity efforts across the continent.

Earlier this month, the operator signed an agreement with Elon Musk’s Starlink to deliver high-speed, low-latency satellite broadband across Africa to tackle coverage challenges in rural regions.

The post Vodacom, Google Cloud team on Africa AI revamp appeared first on Mobile World Live.

The deal tasks Google Cloud with delivering its air-gapped Google Distributed Cloud (GDC) platform to the NCIA, which plans to deploy the technology at its Joint Analysis, Training and Education Centre (JATEC) to modernise operations and support classified workloads.

Financial details remain under wraps.

Google explained its GDC system would allow the alliance to run modern AI and analytics workloads in “completely disconnected, highly secure environments”, retaining operational control and maintaining strict digital sovereignty standards.

Google Cloud EMEA president Tara Brady noted the partnership would enable the alliance “to decisively accelerate its digital modernisation efforts while maintaining the highest levels of security and digital sovereignty”.

NCIA CTO Antonio Calderon said the agency is committed to using next-generation tools including AI “to enhance NATO’s operational capabilities and safeguard the alliance’s digital environment”, stressing “partnership with industry is a critical component of our digital transformation strategy”.

In September, the NCIA inked a deal to shift mission-critical workloads onto Oracle’s cloud infrastructure in a push for greater sovereignty and security.

The post NATO taps Google Cloud for sovereign AI appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Google boss sounds alarm on AI bubble risk

What happened: Google CEO Sundar Pichai warned the AI sector is showing signs of “irrationality” as valuations surge, telling BBC News the industry is entering an investment phase that could “overshoot”.

Why it matters: Pichai’s remarks come as Google parent Alphabet’s valuation crossed $3 trillion earlier this year, while Nvidia hit a record $5 trillion last month. While stressing AI’s long-term potential is “profound”, he cautioned that no company, including Google parent Alphabet, would be immune if the current momentum reverses. He also acknowledged that AI is driving energy demand “in a way that the current systems can’t fully cope”, slowing Google’s path to its 2030 net-zero goal. In addition, the boss warned that AI systems remain “prone to some errors”, urging users to utilise the technology alongside other tools. AvidThink Analyst Roy Chua told MWL that “even Sam Altman has opined that we might be in a bubble”, adding that while AI’s ability to boost productivity and accelerate breakthroughs is clear, “how much we’ve overhyped it in the short term remains to be seen”.

EU delays AI rules after big tech pressure

What happened: The European Commission (EC) moved to ease pressure on tech players by proposing a delay to some of the watchdog’s toughest AI rules, dialling back high-risk requirements in the AI Act by as much as 16 months.

Why it matters: The shift forms part of a new Digital Omnibus package aimed at cutting red tape to boost innovation and competitiveness across Europe’s digital sector. EU tech policy chief Henna Virkkunen warned that start-ups and SMEs are being weighed down by “layers of rigid rules”, stating the move is “giving space for innovation to happen and to be marketed in Europe”. The rethink follows mounting pushback from big tech players including Meta, alongside political pressure from US President Donald Trump. In addition, a potential General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) update allowing personal data to be used for AI model training would mark one of the regulator’s most consequential policy pivots to date. The package also includes simplified cookie-consent rules, a unified reporting interface for AI-related obligations, and a new European Business Wallet designed to allow companies to scale easily across all member states. The EC estimated the measures could strip out up to €5 billion in admin costs by 2029.

Nokia sets out strategy to cash-in on AI boom

What happened: Nokia used its Capital Markets Day to unveil a long-anticipated strategy overhaul under CEO Justin Hotard, outlining a tighter organisational structure, fresh financial targets and a sharper push into AI-driven growth.

Why it matters: Effective 1 January 2026, the vendor will consolidate its four existing divisions into two main segments: Network Infrastructure and Mobile Infrastructure. The former builds on Nokia’s recent $1 billion AI infrastructure deal with Nvidia, and brings together Optical, IP and Fixed Networks. The Mobile Infrastructure segment will house Core Networks, Radio and Technology Standards, with a long-term emphasis on AI-native networks and 6G. Leadership updates include the departure of Mobile Networks president Tommi Uitto from the group leadership team, while Patrik Hammaren takes charge of Technology Standards. Nokia shares fell as much as 6 per cent following the announcement. PP Foresight CEO Paolo Pescatore said the overhaul is not notably different from Nokia’s existing direction, warning that escalating AI investment comes with uncertain returns.

The post Google CEO cautions on AI frenzy; Nokia strategy shake-up appeared first on Mobile World Live.

COO Lila Ibrahim explained in a post on its website the investment adds to Google’s commitment to the Asia Pacific ecosystem, with the AI unit more than doubling its team in the region over the past year.

Ibrahim said the lab builds on its efforts “to pioneer foundational research in linguistic and cultural inclusivity” for Asia Pacific, advance Gemini’s core capabilities and apply the latest models across Google products.

“We are focused on understanding how our technologies can be best built to serve the diverse needs of the Asia Pacific region.”

Giving an example of the impact its teams and partners are creating by applying Google technologies, she highlighted a multidisciplinary research team at Singapore’s Agency of Science, Technology and Research and the National Neuroscience Institute used AlphaFold to pioneer a breakthrough in understanding Parkinson’s disease.

DeepMind also worked with GovTech, the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore and the Infocomm Media Development Authority to create an AI agent sandbox to test autonomous systems intended to improve public sector efficiency and service delivery.

The post DeepMind sets up AI lab in Singapore appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Speaking to BBC News in an exclusive interview, Pichai said the current surge in AI funding marks an “extraordinary moment” for the industry, but warned there is also “irrationality” in the market.

The chief compared the AI cycle to the dot-com era, stating that investment phases can “overshoot” even when the technology might be transformative. In Pichai’s view, “there was clearly a lot of excess investment” in the early internet boom, but its long-term impact was “profound”. He predicted AI would follow a similar trajectory.

His comments come as Google parent Alphabet’s valuation crossed $3 trillion in September, while Nvidia hit a record $5 trillion last month.

However, he argued Alphabet is better positioned than rivals to absorb turbulence due to its integrated “full stack” spanning chips, data sources like YouTube and frontier science, BBC News reported.

The company is also boosting its UK presence, having pledged £5 billion for AI infrastructure in the country earlier this year.

AI prone to errors
Pichai revealed Google is pushing to start training its AI models in the country for the first time, emphasising it is “committed to investing in the UK in a pretty significant way”.

In addition, the CEO cautioned “AI is dramatically increasing demand for energy in a way that the current systems can’t fully cope up”. He admitted rising power requirements have slowed Alphabet’s progress toward its 2030 net-zero target, although the company still expects to meet it through investing in new clean energy technologies. “This doesn’t need to be a zero-sum game,” he said.

Pichai also urged users not to rely overtly on AI systems, stressing they are “prone to some errors”. “The information ecosystem has to be much richer than just having AI technology being the sole product,” he noted, urging users to use AI alongside other tools. “This is why people also use Google search and we have other products which are more grounded in providing direct information right now.”

The post Google boss sounds alarm on AI bubble risk appeared first on Mobile World Live.

The plan includes building a new state-of-the-art data centre in Dietzenbach near Frankfurt, expanding its existing Hanau data centre and enlarging office spaces in Berlin, Frankfurt and Munich.

The Dietzenbach data centre will feature Google’s first heat recovery project in Germany, supplying excess heat to more than 2,000 local households via the district heating network.

Google Cloud’s German regions will offer advanced AI services, including Vertex AI with Gemini models, and continue to deliver sovereign cloud services to comply with local and European data regulations.

Companies like Microsoft and Google are expanding their compute capabilities across Europe to deploy more AI services and to ensure data sovereignty.  

The investment is positioned as a response to Europe’s push for digital sovereignty, with Google emphasising customers are not locked into a single vendor.

Earlier this month, Nvidia and Deutsche Telekom unveiled plans for a €1 billion data centre project in Munich to strengthen the country’s digital sovereignty.

In September, Google committed £5 billion to local operations across the UK, focusing on AI research for the science and healthcare sectors

The post Google commits €5.5B in Germany AI data centre push appeared first on Mobile World Live.

According to Bloomberg, the agreement would give Apple access to Google’s 1.2 trillion parameter Gemini system to run key Siri capabilities such as summarisation and task planning. The custom Gemini model would mark a significant upgrade from Apple’s current 150-billion-parameter system.

Apple plans to host the Gemini model on its Private Cloud Compute servers, keeping user data isolated from Google’s systems. The company has already set aside dedicated AI server hardware to support the new model.

The iPhone-maker tested several AI systems including OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Anthropic’s Claude before opting for Google’s Gemini as an interim solution while it develops its own 1 trillion parameter cloud-based model. The in-house system could be ready for consumers next year.

Apple and Google reportedly declined to comment.

Unlike earlier talks to plug Gemini into Siri as a chatbot, the current deal does not extend to integrating Google’s AI search or chatbot directly into Siri.

The move is part of a broader effort to overhaul Siri’s foundations and integrate it with the company’s wider AI-powered Apple Intelligence platform.

In an August staff call, CEO Tim Cook told employees that Apple had to lead the AI revolution, adding that a more personalised version of Siri is slated to launch next year. The enhanced voice assistant is tipped to debut with iOS 26.4 next spring, Bloomberg reported.

Apple’s Siri overhaul has faced persistent setbacks since it first teased the upgrade last year. In March, Siri chief Robby Walker reportedly lamented the delays to new AI features, stating the company was still unsure when the revamped voice assistant would launch.

The post Apple nears $1B Google AI deal to power revamped Siri appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Its decision follows a ruling against Google earlier this month involving its general search and advertising services.

In a statement, the CMA explained legal tests had been met to designate the pair with SMS for mobile platforms, covering OSes, app distribution, browsers and browser engines on smartphones and tablets.

The regulator launched an investigation into the duo’s mobile platforms in January, gathering feedback from more than 150 stakeholders and engaging with the companies.

It found the pair have substantial, entrenched market power and a position of strategic significance in their respective mobile platforms.  

The CMA further highlighted: UK mobile device holders use either Apple or Google mobile platforms and are unlikely to switch between them; mobile platforms are the main way users access content on their devices through apps and businesses must develop and distribute content through the platforms to reach Apple and Android users; and ongoing technology developments involving AI are unlikely to eliminate the pair’s market power over a five-year designation period.

Reiterating its statement when assigning Google with SMS for its search and advertising services, the CMA stated the platforms designation is not a finding of wrongdoing and does not introduce immediate requirements.

However, it enables the CMA to make interventions to ensure mobile platforms are open to effective competition.

Will Hayter, executive director for Digital Markets, said the app economy generates 1.5 per cent of the UK’s GDP and supports 400,00 jobs, “which is why it is crucial these markets work well for business [sic] so they can invest, innovate and drive the growth the country needs”.

The UK joins the US, European Union and Japan in taking action to support businesses and consumers dependent on mobile platforms, the CMA added.

The post UK opens door to tougher rules on Apple, Google appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Atlas allows users to summarise pages, compare products and automate online tasks without leaving their current window, extending OpenAI’s reach beyond its chatbot app and into daily browsing. “With Atlas, ChatGPT can come with you anywhere across the web – helping you in the window right where you are,” the company stated.

In a live demo, OpenAI showed off Atlas’ agent mode, which enables ChatGPT to automatically complete multi-step actions such as conducting research, searching for recipes, booking appointments or compiling reports directly within the browser. Agent mode is initially available in preview to paid ChatGPT subscribers.

Additionally, browser memory allows the AI tool to retain context from visited sites, helping users revisit information or generate summaries across sessions. The feature is optional and fully user-controlled.

The ChatGPT-maker emphasised privacy, stating that its new AI browser agent cannot run code, download files, or access external apps and will pause when interacting with sensitive sites such as financial institutions. Users can also choose to operate logged-out to boost privacy.

The browser is rolling out globally on macOS, with Windows, iOS and Android versions set to follow.

Rivalry
The move adds to an intensifying rivalry between the ChatGPT-maker and Google, which embedded its Gemini AI model into its Chrome browser earlier this year.

Chrome currently commands 71.9 per cent of the global browser market, according to StatCounter, though OpenAI’s entry could reshape the browsing landscape.

Gil Luria, analyst at DA Davidson, told Reuters that integrating ChatGPT into a browser “is a precursor for OpenAI starting to sell ads”, adding that “once OpenAI does, it could take meaningful share from Google’s search ad business”.

The post OpenAI takes on Google with ChatGPT-powered browser appeared first on Mobile World Live.

The data centre is to be located in the Andhra Pradesh region and form the lynchpin of Google’s AI push in India. The investment is planned to cover the five years beginning in 2026 and is the company’s largest in the country to date.

Google stated the hub would provide powerful AI, data centre capacity, novel large-scale energy sources and a fibre network.

Data centre service provider AdaniConnex and operator Airtel are lined up to help Google build the facility, which will join an existing network spanning 12 countries.

Research it commissioned from Access Partnership showed the AI hub could generate a minimum of $15 billion over the five-year period, with Google highlighting this would involve US “talent and resources involved in developing and operating” the facility.

“This initiative creates substantial economic and societal opportunities for both India and the US”, the company stated.

A trio of Indian Google R&D sites are to be tasked with aiding in the design and development of software and hardware for the site.

Bit by bit
Google intends to build a specific data centre campus capable of delivering gigawatt-level computing capacity it argued is needed to meet demand for digital services in India and beyond.

The company is also to build a new international subsea gateway to access several cables landing on the east coast of India, providing access to 2 million miles of land and submarine connections.

Google promised the hub would provide the capacity and low-latency businesses need to “build and scale their own AI” services. It expects boosts to broader R&D initiatives and India’s global technological position.

CEO Sundar Pichai revealed on X he discussed the hub during a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The executive hailed the hub “a landmark” and said Google would use the site to “bring our industry-leading technology to enterprises and users in India, accelerating AI innovation and driving growth”.

Prime Minister Modi posted the facility would “ensure AI for all” and be a “powerful force in democratising technology”.

The post Google sparks hubbub with $15B India AI first appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Lord said while the move was well-intentioned, it could have unintended consequences, adding it also “does not fulfil its promise of making kids safer online”, the news agency wrote.

At end-July, YouTube was added to the list of social media platforms facing the ban, which is scheduled to go into effect on 10 December. The video-sharing platform is owned by Google.

Google Australia government affairs director Stef Lovett declined to comment when asked if it was lobbying US officials to bring up the issue when US President Donald Trump meets with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Washington next week, Reuters stated.

Representatives from both Google and Microsoft appeared at the inquiry.

The under-16 social media ban is the first in the world and being closely watched by many governments.

Last month, the country’s eSafety Commissioner issued updated guidelines, stating it would not require platform operators to verify the age of all users.

Social media platforms including Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube face fines of up to AUD50 million ($32.6 million) for breaches.

The post YouTube warns under-16s ban will be difficult to enforce appeared first on Mobile World Live.

The CMA stated it conducted legal tests to designate the company with SMS in general search and advertising services, making it the first to be classified with the status.

Under new digital markets regulation introduced at the start of 2025, the CMA is able to take targeted and proportionate action to improve competition, helping to drive innovation, investment and growth across the UK economy.

The CMA launched its investigation into Google’s general search and advertising services on 14 January, and then proposed assigning the status in June.

Since this proposed decision, the CMA gathered evidence and received feedback from more than 80 stakeholders as well as having constructive feedback with the company.

AI offerings
The CMA was able to confirm Google has substantial and entrenched market power in general search advertising. Also under the designation are AI-based search features including AI Overviews and AI mode,

However, its Gemini AI assistant is not yet part of the scope. It will continue to review the assistant and this could change.

Will Hayter, executive director for Digital Markets at the CMA, said it found “Google maintains a strategic position in the search and search advertising sector, with more than 90 per cent of searches in the UK taking place on its platform”.

In July, the CMA also proposed designating Google and Apple with SMS to curb the pair’s mobile ecosystem dominance. It is expected to reach a decision by 22 October.

The watchdog added the search designation does not find the company guilty of “wrongdoing and does not introduce any immediate requirements”, but opens the door for possible future interventions.

The post UK watchdog toughens up on Google search, AI appeared first on Mobile World Live.

The flurry of announcements were anticipated by several news outlets, timed to coincide with a state visit to the UK by US President Donald Trump.

Investments detailed by Google, Nvidia and Microsoft alone totalled £45 billion, while OpenAI intends to house thousands of GPUs in the UK as part of its Stargate initiative.

Add to this a target by the UK government to attract £30 billion of investment by creating an AI growth zone in North-East England and it has been a good week for the nation’s standing in the technology.

Here’s a rundown of the moves announced.

Nvidia
The company is partnering with domestic AI infrastructure company Nscale to deliver up to 60,000 of its Grace Blackwell GPUs to the UK, adding to a global move involving up to 300,000 of the units.

Nvidia and Nscale also plan to invest up to £11 billion in UK AI factories in a deal involving CoreWeave. The US company branded this the largest deployment of relevant infrastructure in the UK’s history, one involving up to 120,000 of its Blackwell GPUs.

The result should be a series of AI factories tailored towards leading models which will boost UK sovereignty and its economy, Nvidia explained. The plan is to have these up and running by the close of 2026.

CEO Jensen Huang (pictured, right) said the nation is gearing up for an “AI industrial revolution, advancing science, transforming industries and creating new economic opportunities”.

He branded the nation’s “world-class expertise, outstanding universities and vibrant industries” as a “Goldilocks ecosystem”.

Microsoft
The software giant detailed a $30 billion (£21.9 billion) investment in AI infrastructure and operations running from this year until 2028, noting it is its largest financial commitment to the nation.

Capex is set to account for half the sum, with Microsoft intent on building the biggest supercomputer in the UK. There is a crossover, with this element involving 23,000 Nvidia GPUs and a partnership with Nscale.

Some of the $15 billion is also allocated towards expanding its datacentre footprint. Microsoft noted the UK National Health Service, banking group Barclays and the London Stock Exchange are among its customers.

Microsoft stated the other half of its investment would go towards operational expenses, in particular its 6,000 staff in the UK who are developing AI models, products and games, and running its datacentres, and sales and support services.

The company noted the support of the UK government was key in its ability to commit the massive sum to the nation.

HM Government
The government appeared keen to spread the benefits with its AI Growth Zone plan, which it hopes will unlock more than 5,000 new jobs along with billions in investment.

It stated the goal is to expand on current regional skilling programmes and support a local ambition to become one of Europe’s biggest data centre hubs.

The government noted asset management company Blackstone committed £10 billion to a site in Blyth.

It earmarked Cobalt Park as a second area involved in the North-East England programme.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman (pictured, right) noted the region is well served by windfarms, and is plotting solar energy and battery storage moves.

OpenAI
The company backed the UK as the latest market where its Stargate J/V would have a presence, planning to allocate up to 8,000 GPUs in Q1 2026 to run its AI models in the nation.

OpenAI is working with Nvidia and Nscale on the move and noted it builds on a memorandum of understanding struck with the UK government in July involving infrastructure needs and AI adoption.

Nscale’s involvement links OpenAI’s plans with the UK government’s growth move, with capacity for Stargate set to be included in the Cobalt Park site. Nvidia is due to bring its “most advanced GPUs” to the table.

OpenAI looked beyond infrastructure, detailing an ambition to work with domestic business leaders and the government to “design flexible and customisable learning experiences” for AI.

Altman praised the UK for its pioneering approach to AI, “world-class researchers, millions of ChatGPT users and a government that quickly recognised the potential of this technology”.

Google
The search giant is lining up a further £5 billion investment in the UK over the next two years, with a heavy focus on scientific research and its DeepMind efforts.

Google detailed the investment at the opening of a data centre which itself was hailed as a “powerful vote of confidence” in the nation by Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves, who opened the facility.

The post Roundup: UK scores billions in US AI investment appeared first on Mobile World Live.

The company stated the opening of the data centre in the south of the UK forms part of a two-year investment spanning capex, R&D and associated engineering.

In a statement, it hailed the moves as “another milestone” in its commitment to the AI sector in the UK.

It was a view echoed by Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who opened the data centre and said Google’s investment “is a powerful vote of confidence in the UK economy”.

The politician also emphasised a strengthening of ties with the US resulting from the investment, which she said would create “jobs and economic growth for years to come”.

Most news organisations highlighted Google’s pledge came on the same day US President Donald Trump is due to arrive in the UK for a state visit: Reuters reported an expectation there would be a brace of other such deals agreed during the two-day stay.

Crux
Google emphasised the home-grown credentials of its latest data centre, stating more than 250 companies were involved in building it, “the majority of them local”. The facility was built to meet demand for its Cloud, Workspace, Search and Maps services.

Some of the £5 billion it now plans to invest will go towards Google DeepMind AI R&D, with the company emphasising benefits to the UK’s economy and cybersecurity, along with job creation.

Ruth Porat, president and chief investment officer of Google and its parent Alphabet, estimated AI could add £400 billion to the UK economy by 2030, a potential she argued her company is helping unlock along with “enhancing critical social services”.

Google unveiled a carbon free energy management arrangement with Shell Energy Europe it stated would “contribute to grid stability” by focusing on clean power creation and access to battery storage systems.

The company stated the arrangement with Shell and its other clean energy initiatives in the UK could result in its operations running “at or near 95 per cent carbon-free-energy in 2026”.

The post Google plots further £5B UK AI investment appeared first on Mobile World Live.

The UK government stated defence intelligence and national security specialists will use Google Cloud’s latest technology to “share secure information between our partners and outcompete our adversaries”.

UK’s Ministry of Defence played a key role in securing the country, added a government statement, which will further strengthen secure communication links between the nation and US, in addition to an existing intelligence and security partnership.

The tie-up with Google Cloud also delivers on a key recommendation from the Strategic Defence Review for a “digitally integrated service”, providing resilient and secure networks. The Defence Review recommends the UK’s armed forces make moves to modernise networks and embrace the latest technology to help “outmatch hostile actors”.

Google Cloud has pledged to recruit a specialist dedicated team in the UK to manage the technology, as the government pointed to advanced defence capabilities to create economic growth.

Defence Secretary John Healey said the Google Cloud deal “shows how defence is an engine for growth, supporting highly skilled UK jobs and a vibrant British tech start-up ecosystem”.

Several media outlets have reported OpenAI and Nvidia are expected to announce a large AI investment in the UK this week, also coinciding with Trump’s visit.

The post UK agrees £400M defence deal with Google Cloud appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Google will not be forced to sell Android, Chrome

What happened: A US judge ruled that Google will not be forced to sell its Android operating system or Chrome browser, dealing a blow to the Department of Justice’s push for the tech giant to divest assets.

Why it matters: The long-awaited verdict in a landmark antitrust case determined that while Google unlawfully maintained a monopoly, forcing it to divest Chrome or Android would be an overreach.

The ruling bars Google from entering into certain exclusive search distribution contracts and mandates it share some data with competitors.

According to Bloomberg, the decision cites the rise of generative AI as a key reason for the stance as emerging tools such as ChatGPT and Perplexity “may yet prove to be game changers”, concluding that market forces should be allowed to play out. However, critics argued the decision does little to challenge Google’s market position; DuckDuckGo posted comments on social media by CEO Gabriel Weinberg, stating the remedies would not “force the changes necessary to adequately address Google’s illegal behaviour”, adding “consumers will continue to suffer”.

US mulls curbs on Intel, SK Hynix, Samsung making chips in China

What happened: The US government tightened control over chip exports to China, revoking authorisations to receive manufacturing equipment in the country for major semiconductor companies including Intel, SK Hynix, Samsung and TSMC.

Why it matters: According to Reuters, companies impacted will need to apply for new licences to buy chipmaking equipment for their Chinese facilities. As a result, US equipment suppliers including KLA Corp, Lam Research and Applied Materials may see reduced sales, while China-based equipment manufacturers could benefit by plugging the gap, the news agency noted.

Brady Wang, associate director at Counterpoint Research, told CNBC the policy changes “reflect Washington’s broader push to tighten control over semiconductor equipment and technology exports to China, strengthening US power over chip production in China”. Later in the week, President Donald Trump renewed pressure on chipmakers to relocate production to the US, warning companies to build locally or face steep import tariffs, adding further uncertainty to global supply chains.

OpenAI eyes India for Stargate data centre buildout

What happened: OpenAI is reportedly planning to establish a data centre in India with a minimum capacity of 1 gigawatt as part of its global Stargate AI infrastructure programme, signalling a deeper push into one of its fastest-growing markets.

Why it matters: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman revealed earlier this year India has emerged as the company’s second largest market by users, Reuters reported. Its latest move reflects the country’s growing strategic importance for the AI player.

The ChatGPT-maker recently pledged support to the Indian government’s $1.2 billion IndiaAI Mission, designed to advance domestic AI capabilities through enhanced computing infrastructure and language model development. To further penetrate the market, the company has also launched a $5-per-month ChatGPT subscription to attract Indian users and announced plans to open its first office in the country in New Delhi.

“The impact is going to be real. Faster access to models, lower latency for Indian users and cheaper compute for startups who are building here,” noted Tanish Sharma, co-founder and CTO of fintech company BillCut.

The post Google set to keep Android; US cracks down on chipmaking kit appeared first on Mobile World Live.

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported the FTC is evaluating whether chatbots including OpenAI’s ChatGPT are impacting children’s mental health.

In addition to Meta Platforms and OpenAI, the news publication stated correspondence was also sent to Character.AI.

WSJ stated the administration of US President Donald Trump approved of the plan.

First lady Melania Trump hosted a meeting yesterday (4 September) of the White House Task Force on Artificial Intelligence Education.

WSJ explained Google CEO Sundar Pichai, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella attended the event and pledged to make AI more accessible to students and workers.

President Trump signed an executive order on advancing AI education for US youth on 23 April.

The post US FTC plans to grill OpenAI, Meta about AI impact on youth appeared first on Mobile World Live.

In a class action lawsuit filed in US District Court for Northern California, plaintiffs alleged Google accessed users’ mobile devices to collect and save their data despite them turning off a tracking feature, the news agency stated.

The company denied any wrongdoing and said it would appeal.

Google representative Jose Castaneda noted in a statement: “This decision misunderstands how our products work. Our privacy tools give people control over their data, and when they turn off personalisation, we honour that choice.”

A jury found Google liable on two of the three privacy violation claims but determined it had not acted with malice, with no punitive damages awarded, Reuters stated.

The plaintiffs had sued for more than $31 billion in damages.

During the trial, Google argued the collected data was “non-personal, pseudonymous and stored in segregated, secured and encrypted locations”, Reuters wrote.

The tech company was back in US federal court on 3 September, a day after another US judge stopped short of forcing it to sell its Chrome browser or Android OS in an anti-monopoly case brought by the nation’s Department of Justice.

Reuters separately reported France’s data protection watchdog fined Google €325 million for displaying adverts to Gmail users and using cookies without their consent.

The post Google hit with $425M penalty for privacy breaches appeared first on Mobile World Live.

In the landmark antitrust case, the court rejected the Justice Department’s push to force Google to sell its Chrome browser and didn’t include a “contingent divestiture” of the Android operating system.

The judge wrote: “Plaintiffs overreached in seeking forced divesture of these key assets, which Google did not use to effect any illegal restraints.”

In his illegal monopoly ruling, US District judge Amit Mehta in Washington, DC, stated Google will be “barred from entering or maintaining any exclusive contract relating to the distribution” of Google Search, Chrome, Google Assistant and its Gemini app.

The tech giant also will have to make available to “qualified competitors” certain search index and user-interaction data, though not ads data. The court narrowed the data sets Google will be required to share “to tailor the remedy to its anticompetitive conduct”.

The 226-page decision explained Google will not be barred from making payments to partners, including Apple, for preloading or placement of Google Search, Chrome, or its GenAI products, arguing that cutting off payments from Google “almost certainly will impose substantial — in some cases, crippling — downstream harms to distribution partners, related markets and consumers”.

This means Google’s default search deals can continue.

Google said in a blog it has “concerns about how these requirements will impact our users and their privacy” and is reviewing the decision closely. 

Last year, the Department of Justice called for Google to divest its Chrome browser as part of proposed remedies to restore competition in the search market.

The post Google will not be forced to sell Android, Chrome appeared first on Mobile World Live.

The Information reportedly broke the news and secured confirmation from Google Cloud.

Bloomberg, Reuters and CNBC were among other outlets to flesh out the details, explaining the Meta deal covers a period of six years and is a fillip for Google Cloud as it competes with rivals Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure.

Meta Platforms is on an aggressive AI drive, with bigwigs committing to pump billions into expanding its data centre capacity. The various news outlets stated this is the key focus of the company’s arrangement with Google Cloud.

Bloomberg noted a previous collaboration between the companies offered access to Meta Platforms’ Llama AI model on Google Cloud developer platform Vertex AI, but all the outlets stated the latest deal is the first between the pair covering cloud computing.

Reuters highlighted Meta Platforms initiated a move to sell a fraction more than $2 billion-worth of land and property late last month to contribute to its AI-related costs.

The post Google Cloud, Meta strike $10B AI compute deal appeared first on Mobile World Live.

AI is the primary battlefield among smartphone manufacturers and Google currently owns a lead over rival Apple’s nascent attempts.

The new models are the Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, and Pixel 10 Pro XL, all equipped with the latest Google Tensor G5 chip and its Gemini Nano AI model.

The Tensor chip is manufactured by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC). Google stated it’s 34 per cent faster than its predecessor and has a 60 per cent more powerful AI-dedicated chip for running Gemini tasks.

The baseline Pixel 10 starts at $799 while the Pixel 10 Pro is $999 and the flagship Pixel 10 Pro XL is priced at $1,199.  All three are available for preorder now with shipping and in-store availability slated for 28 August.

The Pixel 10 Pro models come with a one-year subscription to Google’s AI Pro plan, which gives users extra Gemini features and usually costs around $19 per month.

Google is also releasing an updated version of its folding phone, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, that starts at $1,799. The Pixel 10 Pro Fold is also available for pre-order and hits shelves 9 October.

Magic Cue
Among the Pixel 10′s new AI features is Magic Cue which integrates across apps to provide timely, context-aware information and actions, such as displaying flight details during calls or finding photos instantly.

With a user’s permission, Google stated the latest version of Gemini Nano and its Tensor G5 chip work together to run Magic Cue privately and securely on the devices.

For the smartphone camera, Google announced Camera Coach which uses Gemini AI to guide users on photo composition and framing while also recommending the best angle and lighting.

The Pro models include a new photography feature called Pro Res Zoom which taps into AI to make distant subjects appear clearer by generating details which were never actually captured by the camera.

Google explained Pro Res Zoom uses the Tensor G5 chip and a new generative imaging model to recover and refine intricate details.

It  stated the Pixel 10 lineup introduces the first 5x telephoto lens in its tier with fast autofocus, 10x optical quality, and up to 20x super res zoom while Pixel 10 Pro models use Pro Res Zoom up to 100x.

The Pixel 10 series also has Gemini Live which is a Google product designed to enable back-and-forth chat about what the phone is displaying on its screen in real time.

The Pixel 10’s 6.3-inch display features 3,000 nits, up from 2,700 last year. The Pixel Pro models’ 6.3-inch and 6.8-inch displays can reach a maximum brightness of 3,300 nits.

Google also announced its Pixel Watch 4, which starts at $349 and is available 9 October. It also features 3,000 nits of peak brightness. It comes equipped with Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 chip which enables more on-device AI features like smart replies.

Google added a new satellite SOS mode which lets users of LTE-enabled watches call for emergency services even without cellular service.

It also comes equipped with new health and fitness features and a new AI Health Coach to better compete with Apple’s devices.  

Analyst view
Leo Gebbie, principal analyst at CCS Insight, told Mobile World Live Google’s wide-ranging hardware refresh “further develops its position as a leader in the smartphone and wearables categories, and the company is arguably positioning on-device AI more effectively than any of its rivals”.

“This was Google’s most comprehensive and wide-ranging hardware update ever and speaks to the strength of the Pixel team that it can deliver so many updates at the same time,” he said. “The strength of this portfolio is telling, and we believe that Pixel products are more attractive than ever to both returning and new customers.”

Gebbie noted the Magic Cue feature looks useful and “is an early step towards the much-vaunted agentic AI experiences which have been promised on smartphones for some time”.

“The critical question is how third-party apps will be able to leverage Magic Cue, and whether the feature will be able to read the necessary information it needs from these apps in exchange.”

He stated Google’s latest hardware and software updates are impressive, “and speak to a company executing strongly on its product strategy which has not always historically been true.

“The real question is how ambitious Google wants to be here,” he said. “With a more aggressive approach, there is no reason why Pixel devices could not pick up a far greater market share.

“However, Google has always seemed content using its hardware as a means to launch software features and to keep its hardware partners honest.”

The post Google packs more Gemini AI into new Pixel 10 devices appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Under the new rules developers meeting eligibility requirements are able to more easily direct users outside of the Google ecosystem to make in-app purchases and subscriptions.

It also cuts initial acquisition fees paid by third party app companies with a tiered charging structure put in place.

“As part of our continued compliance with the EU Digital Markets Act, we have made additional updates to our external offers program to offer more flexibility for developers while balancing trust and safety needs across the ecosystem,” the company explained.

In March, the European Commission warned Google parent Alphabet in its preliminary view the company’s current app store policies were not compliant with the legislation, stating “app developers are prevented from freely steering consumers to other channels for better offers”.  

Specific concerns also included criticism of fees. While the regulator conceded the company could receive payment for “facilitating the initial acquisition of a new customer by an app developer via Google Play, the fees charged by Alphabet go beyond what is justified”.

In Google’s statement on its latest changes, it noted it was also introducing “additional security and transparency measures,” as in its view “links leading users outside Play’s secure environment on Android’s open ecosystem can expose users to serious security threats”.

The post Google updates app policies in bid to meet EU regs   appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Starting in 2030, government-owned utility the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is set to purchase up to 50 megawatts of power from Kairos Power’s Hermes 2 reactor located in the state of Tennessee.

In addition to Tennessee, the reactor is due to also help power Google’s data centres in the state of Alabama

The companies stated TVA is the first US utility to sign a purchase power agreement to buy electricity from an advanced nuclear reactor.

Hermes 2 is also the first deployment under an agreement Google and Kairos Power inked in 2024 to launch the start-up’s nuclear technology at a commercial scale to bring 500 megawatts of capacity online by 2035 to support the tech giant’s load growth.

Amanda Peterson Corio, Google’s global head of Data Centre Energy, said the partnership would “accelerate the deployment of innovative nuclear technologies and help support the needs of our growing digital economy while also bringing firm carbon-free energy to the electricity system”.

She noted lessons from the development and operation of the Hermes 2 plant would “help drive down the cost of future reactors, improving the economics of clean firm power generation in the TVA region and beyond”.

The increasing use of generative AI is putting a strain on the US electrical grid as companies including Google, OpenAI, Microsoft and xAI require massive amounts of power to train their models.

Last month, Google reached agreements with two US electricity companies to reduce its AI data centre energy consumption during spikes in demand on the grid.

The post Google goes nuclear to power data centre growth appeared first on Mobile World Live.