MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (AP) — Google on Wednesday disclosed plans to infuse its dominant search engine with more advanced artificial-intelligence technology, a drive that's in response to one of the biggest threats to its long-established position as the internet's main gateway.
GOP subpoenas tech CEOs as part of probe into censorship
February 16, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — Subpoenas were sent to the chief executives of the five largest tech companies on Wednesday as congressional Republicans moved to investigate what they assert is widespread corporate censorship of conservative voices.
Google hopes ‘Bard’ will outsmart ChatGPT, Microsoft in AI
February 7, 2023 GMTGoogle is girding for a battle of wits in the field of artificial intelligence with “Bard," a conversational service aimed at countering the popularity of the ChatGPT tool backed by Microsoft.
Bard initially will be available exclusively to a group of “trusted testers" before being widely released later this year, according to a Monday blog post from Google CEO Sundar Pichai.
Google axes 12,000 jobs as layoffs spread across tech sector
January 20, 2023 GMTLONDON (AP) — Google is laying off 12,000 workers, or about 6% of its workforce, becoming the latest tech company to trim staff as the economic boom that the industry rode during the COVID-19 pandemic ebbs.
GOP AGs ask Google not to limit anti-abortion center results
July 21, 2022 GMTRICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A month after some members of Congress urged Google to limit the appearance of anti-abortion pregnancy centers in certain abortion-related search results, 17 Republican attorneys general are warning the company that doing so could invite investigations and possible legal action.
Democrats: Google must protect privacy of abortion patients
May 24, 2022 GMTMore than 40 Democratic members of Congress are asking Google to stop what they see as the unnecessary collection and retention of people's location data, arguing the information could be used to identify women seeking abortions.
Google chief: IT focus on reliable information for Ukraine
March 29, 2022 GMTWARSAW, Poland (AP) — Information technology companies are focused on providing reliable information and stymying Russian propaganda about the invasion of Ukraine, the CEO of Google and Alphabet Inc.
Lawsuit: Google, Facebook CEOs colluded in online ad sales
January 14, 2022 GMTNewly unredacted documents from a state-led antitrust lawsuit against Google accuse the search giant of colluding with rival Facebook to manipulate online advertising sales.
Google to spend $2.1 billion on Manhattan campus acquisition
September 21, 2021 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — Google is planning to buy New York City's St. John’s Terminal for $2.1 billion, making it the anchor of its Hudson Square campus.
The announcement Tuesday arrives with the city buffeted by the pandemic and most offices still largely unpopulated.
Google again delays return to office due to COVID surges
August 31, 2021 GMTGoogle is once again postponing a return to the office for most workers until mid-January, in addition to requiring all employees to be vaccinated once its sprawling campuses are fully reopened.
The highly contagious delta variant of the coronavirus is driving a dramatic spike in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, leading companies to delay or scrap return-to-office plans after nearly two years of people working from home.
Google delays return to office, mandates vaccines
July 28, 2021 GMTSAN RAMON, Calif. (AP) — Google is postponing a return to the office for most workers until mid-October and rolling out a policy that will eventually require everyone to be vaccinated once its sprawling campuses are fully reopened.
Trump files suit against Facebook, Twitter and YouTube
July 7, 2021 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — Former President Donald Trump has filed suit against three of the country's biggest tech companies, claiming he and other conservatives have been wrongfully censored. But legal experts say the suits are likely doomed to fail, given existing precedent and legal protections.
Google teams with startup for Nevada geothermal energy plant
May 19, 2021 GMTLAS VEGAS (AP) — Google has announced it will team with a startup company to develop a geothermal power system in Nevada to serve its regional data centers.
Google CEO Sundar Pichai told an annual developer conference on Tuesday that the partnership with Fervo should begin supplying electricity next year, serving the company’s Cloud region in Las Vegas.
Google says 20% of workers will be remote, many more hybrid
May 6, 2021 GMTMOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (AP) — Google says it expects about 20% of its workforce to still work remotely after its offices reopen this fall, while some 60% will work a hybrid schedule that includes about three days in the office and two days “wherever they work best...
Lawmakers press Big Tech CEOs on speech responsibility
March 25, 2021 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — The CEOs of tech giants Facebook, Twitter and Google faced a grilling in Congress Thursday as lawmakers tried to draw them into acknowledging their companies' roles in fueling the January insurrection at the U...
Australia to amend laws to make Google and Facebook pay
February 16, 2021 GMTCANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australia’s government said on Tuesday it will amend draft laws that would make Google and Facebook pay for news to clarify that publishers would be paid in lump sums rather than per click on news article links...
Major Australian media company strikes Google news pay deal
February 15, 2021 GMTCANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Seven West Media has become the largest Australian news media business to strike a deal with Google to pay for journalism in a partnership announced Monday before the nation's Parliament considers draft laws to force digital giants to pay for news...
Australian leader has ‘constructive’ talk with Google boss
February 4, 2021 GMTCANBERRA, Australia (AP) — The Australian prime minister said he had a “constructive” meeting on Thursday with the head of Google after the tech giant threatened to remove its search engine from Australia over plans to make digital platforms pay for news.
AP Exclusive: Selena Gomez: Big Tech ‘cashing in from evil’
January 16, 2021 GMTLOS ANGELES (AP) — Hours after an angry mob of Trump supporters took control of the U.S. Capitol in a violent insurrection, Selena Gomez laid much of the blame at the feet of Big Tech...
Google CEO says company will review AI scholar’s abrupt exit
December 10, 2020 GMTGoogle CEO Sundar Pichai has apologized for how a prominent artificial intelligence researcher's WASHINGTON (AP) — Under fire from President Donald Trump and his allies, the CEOs of Twitter, Facebook and Google rebuffed accusations of anti-conservative bias at a Senate hearing Wednesday and promised to aggressively defend their platforms from being used to sow chaos in next week's election...Social media CEOs rebuff bias claims, vow to defend election
October 28, 2020 GMT
Social media CEOs to face grilling from Republican senators
October 28, 2020 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — Less than a week before Election Day, the CEOs of Twitter, Facebook and Google are set to be grilled by Republican senators making unfounded allegations that the tech giants show anti-conservative bias...
CEOs of 3 tech giants to testify at Oct. 28 Senate hearing
October 5, 2020 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — The CEOs of technology giants Facebook, Google and Twitter are expected to testify for an Oct...
Senate panel moves to compel 3 social media CEOs to testify
October 1, 2020 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — A Senate panel voted Thursday to compel testimony from the CEOs of Facebook, Google and Twitter as lawmakers opened a new front in the battle over hate speech, misinformation and perceived political bias on social media a month before the presidential election...
Google to pay $1 billion over 3 years for news content
October 1, 2020 GMTLONDON (AP) — Google will pay publishers $1 billion over the next three years for their content, the company's latest effort to defuse tensions over its dominance of the news industry...
Australia leader expects ‘sensible outcome’ to news pay plan
September 7, 2020 GMTCANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australia’s prime minister said Monday that he expected a “sensible outcome” to his government’s plans to make digital platforms pay for journalism after Facebook threatened to block Australian publishers and individuals from sharing news stories...
Lawmakers grill 4 Big Tech CEOs but don’t land many blows
July 30, 2020 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — Congressional lawmakers finally got a chance to grill the CEOs of Big Tech over their dominance and allegations of monopolistic practices that WASHINGTON (AP) — Congressional lawmakers finally got a chance Wednesday to grill the CEOs of Big Tech over their dominance and allegations of monopolistic practices that stifle competition...Lawmakers batter Big Tech CEOs, but don’t land many blows
July 30, 2020 GMT
Spotlight on 4 Big Tech CEOs testifying in competition probe
July 28, 2020 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — They command corporations with gold-plated brands, millions or even billions of customers, and a combined value greater than the entire German economy...
Google to keep most of its employees at home until July 2021
July 27, 2020 GMTSAN RAMON, Calif. (AP) — Google has decided that most of its 200,000 employees and contractors should work from home through next June, a sobering assessment of the pandemic's potential staying power from the company providing the answers for the world's most trusted internet search engine.
Zuckerberg, Bezos, other tech CEOs testify on competition
July 25, 2020 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — Four Big Tech CEOs — Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, Google's Sundar Pichai and Apple's Tim Cook — will answer for their companies’ practices before Congress at a hearing Wednesday by the House Judiciary subcommittee on antitrust...
Google to invest $4.5 billion in India’s Jio digital company
July 15, 2020 GMTNEW DELHI (AP) — Google plans to invest $4.5 billion in India’s Jio Platforms Ltd, the company announced Wednesday, taking a 7...
Beyoncé to give graduation speech alongside the Obamas
May 19, 2020 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — Beyoncé has been added to the list of guest speakers for YouTube's virtual commencement ceremony that will also feature the Obamas...
Digital-ad downturn may complicate life for Google, Facebook
April 27, 2020 GMTDemand for digital advertising is shriveling after a decade of explosive growth amid the pandemic-fueled downturn...
Google CEO calls for regulation of artificial intelligence
January 20, 2020 GMTLONDON (AP) — Google’s chief executive called Monday for a balanced approach to regulating artificial intelligence, telling a European audience that the technology brings benefits but also “negative consequences...
Google co-founders step aside as antitrust scrutiny heats up
December 4, 2019 GMTSAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Google’s co-founders are relinquishing their executive positions just as state and federal regulators, not to mention the Department of Justice and Congress, are taking a keen interest in the possible abuse of its privacy practices and market power...
Google plans to invest 3 billion euros in Europe
September 20, 2019 GMTCOPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Google's top boss said Friday the tech giant is planning to invest 3 billion euros to expand its data centers across Europe in the next two years.
Chief executive Sundar Pichai says it will bring the company's total investments in the continent's internet infrastructure to 15 billion euros since 2007.
Google puts up $1B to ease housing headaches it helped cause
June 18, 2019 GMTSAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Google is pouring $1 billion into easing the high-priced housing headaches that it and its Silicon Valley peers helped give the San Francisco Bay Area.
The pledge announced Tuesday by Google CEO Sundar Pichai consists of a $250 million investment fund and $750 million of company-owned land.
Google’s privacy push gets a mixed reception
May 8, 2019 GMTMOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (AP) — Google announced new privacy tools Tuesday intended to give people more control over how they're being tracked on the go or in their own home, part of a broader effort by big tech companies to counter increasing scrutiny of their data collection practices...
Google promises better privacy tools, smarter AI assistant
May 8, 2019 GMTMOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (AP) — Google announced new privacy tools Tuesday intended to give people more control over how they're being tracked on the go or in their own home, part of a broader effort by big tech companies to counter increasing scrutiny of their data collection practices...
Google to invest $13 billion in new US offices, data centers
February 14, 2019 GMTSAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Google plans to invest more than $13 billion this year on new and expanded data centers and offices across the U...
Donald Trump accuses Google, Facebook and Twitter of political bias
December 18, 2018 GMTPresident Trump slammed the major tech companies Tuesday, accusing Google, Facebook and Twitter of political bias.
Facebook, Twitter and Google are so biased toward the Dems it is ridiculous! Twitter, in fact, has made it much more difficult for people to join @realDonaldTrump.
Google grilled in Congress: What’s ahead for tech companies
December 12, 2018 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. lawmakers' grilling of Google CEO Sundar Pichai may have sounded like a broken record, but it amplified the prickly issues facing tech companies as Democrats prepare to take control of the House next month...
Tech execs at White House field ideas for US dominance
December 6, 2018 GMTTop executives from Google, Microsoft, IBM, Oracle and Qualcomm gathered Thursday at the White House amid strained ties between President Donald Trump's administration and the tech industry and an ongoing trade war with China...
Google bows to worker pressure on sexual misconduct policy
November 8, 2018 GMTSAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Google is promising to be more forceful and open about its handling of sexual misconduct cases, a week after thousands of high-paid engineers and others walked out in protest over its male-dominated culture...
Rights groups to Google: No censored search in China
August 29, 2018 GMTBEIJING (AP) — More than a dozen human rights groups are urging Google not to offer censored internet search in China, amid reports it is planning to again provide the service in the giant market...
EU fines Google a record $5 billion over mobile practices
July 19, 2018 GMTBRUSSELS (AP) — European regulators came down hard on another U.S. tech giant Wednesday, fining Google a record $5 billion for forcing cellphone makers that use the company's Android operating system to install Google search and browser apps...
What happens when the robots sound too much like humans?
May 9, 2018 GMTArtificial intelligence has a new challenge: Whether and how to alert people who may not know they're talking to a robot...