GOOGLING AI

Reading back through the transcript of last week’s Q2 results call from Google-owner Alphabet, there were plenty of snippets to highlight why the company is well placed for the world of AI.

• Although there has been much hype surrounding AI over recent months, the company points out this is its seventh year as an ‘AI-first company’.

• New generative AI offerings are expanding the total addressable market, with the number of customers growing more than 15x from April to June.

• The group’s AI capabilities are being expanded into its partner ecosystem, with hundreds of software providers and the world’s largest consulting firms collectively committed to train more than 150,000 people on Google Cloud generative AI.

• Android 14, the group’s latest mobile operating system, will incorporate advances in generative AI to personalise Android phones. Remember Android powers 70% of all mobile phones.

• Nearly 80% of advertisers already use at least one AI-powered Search Ads product.

• New AI-powered Target and Lead Identification Suite is being applied to help enable drug discovery, while anti-Money Laundering AI helps banks like HSBC identify financial crime risk.

And don’t forget, the company starts from a very strong base, with 15 products that each serve a half a billion people, and six that serve over 2 billion each.