Google has announced generative AI helpers will be coming to its Workspace suite of apps – though no release date was forthcoming
Alphabet stock prices jumped up 3.14% in trading after the announcement
The stock price increase follows news that Microsoft’s Bing hasn’t eaten into Google’s search engine dominance
The AI wars have taken another turn as Google takes another step forward. The Big Tech stalwart and historic AI pioneer has announced it will introduce a generative AI tool for its Workspace suite of apps including Google Docs, Sheets and Meet.
While the statement failed to mention any launch date of the AI product, Wall Street still responded positively, with an uptick in Google’s stock price by the end of Tuesday.
The move comes as Microsoft remains aggressive in its approach to AI, with its partnership with OpenAI producing fruitful stock market gains since the start of the year. Let’s get into the details.
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The search engine giant announced yesterday that it would introduce generative AI features to its Workspace suite, which encompasses Google Docs, Slides and Sheets among a host of other applications.
The announcement is full of promises to make users’ lives easier, more streamlined and get work done faster. A demo video for the announcement shows AI as a collaborative partner by summarizing email chains, drafting user responses, building presentations and taking notes in meetings.
The press release stressed human control would be a top priority for the release, with users able to reject and amend AI suggestions before the changes are confirmed.
When do the new features launch?
Here’s the kicker: Google is deliberately vague on when the generative AI capabilities would launch. “We will be bringing these new generative-AI experiences to trusted testers on a rolling basis throughout the year,” was the official line in the press release – so we’re still potentially years away from seeing this tech released to the public.
Google clearly wanted to pre-empt any criticism around its timeline. “Getting this right — and at scale — is something we take very seriously,” it noted, citing careful testing needed for safeguarding and data privacy.
The problem is that other companies are already way ahead of the curve. After a successful alpha launch, the all-in-one productivity tool Notion recently launched its generative AI feature to all users.
There’s also been a lot of hype around Microsoft’s $10bn investment into OpenAI since it launched its ChatGPT chatbot to the public in November last year. Microsoft has already integrated the technology into its search engine Bing, plus OpenAI announced its new GPT-4 model yesterday, which saw Microsoft’s share price climb 2.71%.
How Google’s stock has fared
Despite the relative snail’s pace from Google, investors have responded positively to the news, with Alphabet stock prices hitting $93.97 by the end of Tuesday trading hours – a 3.14% gain in one day. This builds on Monday’s small rally after some positive market share news emerged.
A new analysis revealed that Microsoft’s big bet on OpenAI has been more bark than bite. Since the launch of ChatGPT in November 2022, which has generated over 100m users faster than any product in history, Google’s search share has remained stable – and has even made slight gains. Stock prices were up 2.1% at the analysis.
While Google can’t rest on its laurels, Wall Street is likely counting on the company’s market share to see it through the AI wars. With well over 90% of the search engine market cornered, the uptake of Google’s AI products to such a captive market will significantly impact who comes out on top.
Of course, with other major players looking to take a bite out of Google’s market share, anything could happen in the months leading up to its eventual AI features release. While investors might be happy with this latest announcement, Google had better get a release date on the cards – and fast – to keep them on its side.
A welcome shift in Wall Street sentiment for Google
This will all be welcome news to Google, which has had a rocky start to the AI wars. Google, which has pioneered AI technology for years, allegedly issued an internal ‘code red’ after ChatGPT’s release.
Last month Microsoft held a slick press conference at its Seattle headquarters to launch Microsoft Bing’s ChatGPT integration. Overall, the stock is up 10.3% since its partnership with OpenAI was announced.
In comparison, Google’s launch of its Bard feature was a disaster. Its launch video had an inaccurate answer included, which was a costly mistake: over $100bn was wiped off of Google’s stock value thanks to the error.
What else could affect Google’s stock price?
The conglomerate is set to release its Q1 earnings at the end of April. Early estimates show positive gains for Google, with Zacks pegging a full-year revenue prediction of $246.7bn – a 5.48% increase, should it play out.
Google might be planning for sunny skies, but some clouds may be on the horizon. The Supreme Court will release its judgment on Gonzalez v. Google, which could see Section 230, a decades-old legal protection for third-party liability, removed for all of Big Tech.
Should the ruling not be in Google’s favor, it could spend billions on a tangle of class-action lawsuits from claimants seeking damages – and the stock price would undoubtedly take a hit.
Rumors are also beginning to swirl around CEO Sundar Pichai and how long his tenure will last after Microsoft got the jump in the AI wars. Founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin are reportedly taking more active roles in the company since Microsoft forged ahead with its Bing AI launch.
Pichai has faced criticism for being too slow off the line with AI and not urgent with his response since. Some employees and shareholders now suggest it’s time for him to go.
This could affect Google’s stock price – any new installment of a CEO is risky – but it depends on who it is. If Page and Brin decided to return to the helm, they’d likely be welcomed with open arms and Alphabet stock prices could remain unaffected.
The bottom line
Google may be a bit behind the eight ball when it comes to consumer facing AI, but the war is far from done yet. And this is the challenge with investing in technology companies. They can offer huge gains, but it’s hard to know who’s going to come out on top.
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The federal government is ordering the dissolution of TikTok’s Canadian business after a national security review of the Chinese company behind the social media platform, but stopped short of ordering people to stay off the app.
Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne announced the government’s “wind up” demand Wednesday, saying it is meant to address “risks” related to ByteDance Ltd.’s establishment of TikTok Technology Canada Inc.
“The decision was based on the information and evidence collected over the course of the review and on the advice of Canada’s security and intelligence community and other government partners,” he said in a statement.
The announcement added that the government is not blocking Canadians’ access to the TikTok application or their ability to create content.
However, it urged people to “adopt good cybersecurity practices and assess the possible risks of using social media platforms and applications, including how their information is likely to be protected, managed, used and shared by foreign actors, as well as to be aware of which country’s laws apply.”
Champagne’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment seeking details about what evidence led to the government’s dissolution demand, how long ByteDance has to comply and why the app is not being banned.
A TikTok spokesperson said in a statement that the shutdown of its Canadian offices will mean the loss of hundreds of well-paying local jobs.
“We will challenge this order in court,” the spokesperson said.
“The TikTok platform will remain available for creators to find an audience, explore new interests and for businesses to thrive.”
The federal Liberals ordered a national security review of TikTok in September 2023, but it was not public knowledge until The Canadian Press reported in March that it was investigating the company.
At the time, it said the review was based on the expansion of a business, which it said constituted the establishment of a new Canadian entity. It declined to provide any further details about what expansion it was reviewing.
A government database showed a notification of new business from TikTok in June 2023. It said Network Sense Ventures Ltd. in Toronto and Vancouver would engage in “marketing, advertising, and content/creator development activities in relation to the use of the TikTok app in Canada.”
Even before the review, ByteDance and TikTok were lightning rod for privacy and safety concerns because Chinese national security laws compel organizations in the country to assist with intelligence gathering.
Such concerns led the U.S. House of Representatives to pass a bill in March designed to ban TikTok unless its China-based owner sells its stake in the business.
Champagne’s office has maintained Canada’s review was not related to the U.S. bill, which has yet to pass.
Canada’s review was carried out through the Investment Canada Act, which allows the government to investigate any foreign investment with potential to might harm national security.
While cabinet can make investors sell parts of the business or shares, Champagne has said the act doesn’t allow him to disclose details of the review.
Wednesday’s dissolution order was made in accordance with the act.
The federal government banned TikTok from its mobile devices in February 2023 following the launch of an investigation into the company by federal and provincial privacy commissioners.
— With files from Anja Karadeglija in Ottawa
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 6, 2024.
LONDON (AP) — Most people have accumulated a pile of data — selfies, emails, videos and more — on their social media and digital accounts over their lifetimes. What happens to it when we die?
It’s wise to draft a will spelling out who inherits your physical assets after you’re gone, but don’t forget to take care of your digital estate too. Friends and family might treasure files and posts you’ve left behind, but they could get lost in digital purgatory after you pass away unless you take some simple steps.
Here’s how you can prepare your digital life for your survivors:
Apple
The iPhone maker lets you nominate a “ legacy contact ” who can access your Apple account’s data after you die. The company says it’s a secure way to give trusted people access to photos, files and messages. To set it up you’ll need an Apple device with a fairly recent operating system — iPhones and iPads need iOS or iPadOS 15.2 and MacBooks needs macOS Monterey 12.1.
For iPhones, go to settings, tap Sign-in & Security and then Legacy Contact. You can name one or more people, and they don’t need an Apple ID or device.
You’ll have to share an access key with your contact. It can be a digital version sent electronically, or you can print a copy or save it as a screenshot or PDF.
Take note that there are some types of files you won’t be able to pass on — including digital rights-protected music, movies and passwords stored in Apple’s password manager. Legacy contacts can only access a deceased user’s account for three years before Apple deletes the account.
Google
Google takes a different approach with its Inactive Account Manager, which allows you to share your data with someone if it notices that you’ve stopped using your account.
When setting it up, you need to decide how long Google should wait — from three to 18 months — before considering your account inactive. Once that time is up, Google can notify up to 10 people.
You can write a message informing them you’ve stopped using the account, and, optionally, include a link to download your data. You can choose what types of data they can access — including emails, photos, calendar entries and YouTube videos.
There’s also an option to automatically delete your account after three months of inactivity, so your contacts will have to download any data before that deadline.
Facebook and Instagram
Some social media platforms can preserve accounts for people who have died so that friends and family can honor their memories.
When users of Facebook or Instagram die, parent company Meta says it can memorialize the account if it gets a “valid request” from a friend or family member. Requests can be submitted through an online form.
The social media company strongly recommends Facebook users add a legacy contact to look after their memorial accounts. Legacy contacts can do things like respond to new friend requests and update pinned posts, but they can’t read private messages or remove or alter previous posts. You can only choose one person, who also has to have a Facebook account.
You can also ask Facebook or Instagram to delete a deceased user’s account if you’re a close family member or an executor. You’ll need to send in documents like a death certificate.
TikTok
The video-sharing platform says that if a user has died, people can submit a request to memorialize the account through the settings menu. Go to the Report a Problem section, then Account and profile, then Manage account, where you can report a deceased user.
Once an account has been memorialized, it will be labeled “Remembering.” No one will be able to log into the account, which prevents anyone from editing the profile or using the account to post new content or send messages.
X
It’s not possible to nominate a legacy contact on Elon Musk’s social media site. But family members or an authorized person can submit a request to deactivate a deceased user’s account.
Passwords
Besides the major online services, you’ll probably have dozens if not hundreds of other digital accounts that your survivors might need to access. You could just write all your login credentials down in a notebook and put it somewhere safe. But making a physical copy presents its own vulnerabilities. What if you lose track of it? What if someone finds it?
Instead, consider a password manager that has an emergency access feature. Password managers are digital vaults that you can use to store all your credentials. Some, like Keeper,Bitwarden and NordPass, allow users to nominate one or more trusted contacts who can access their keys in case of an emergency such as a death.
But there are a few catches: Those contacts also need to use the same password manager and you might have to pay for the service.
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LONDON (AP) — Britain’s competition watchdog said Thursday it’s opening a formal investigation into Google’s partnership with artificial intelligence startup Anthropic.
The Competition and Markets Authority said it has “sufficient information” to launch an initial probe after it sought input earlier this year on whether the deal would stifle competition.
The CMA has until Dec. 19 to decide whether to approve the deal or escalate its investigation.
“Google is committed to building the most open and innovative AI ecosystem in the world,” the company said. “Anthropic is free to use multiple cloud providers and does, and we don’t demand exclusive tech rights.”
San Francisco-based Anthropic was founded in 2021 by siblings Dario and Daniela Amodei, who previously worked at ChatGPT maker OpenAI. The company has focused on increasing the safety and reliability of AI models. Google reportedly agreed last year to make a multibillion-dollar investment in Anthropic, which has a popular chatbot named Claude.
Anthropic said it’s cooperating with the regulator and will provide “the complete picture about Google’s investment and our commercial collaboration.”
“We are an independent company and none of our strategic partnerships or investor relationships diminish the independence of our corporate governance or our freedom to partner with others,” it said in a statement.
The U.K. regulator has been scrutinizing a raft of AI deals as investment money floods into the industry to capitalize on the artificial intelligence boom. Last month it cleared Anthropic’s $4 billion deal with Amazon and it has also signed off on Microsoft’s deals with two other AI startups, Inflection and Mistral.
