Alphabet Inc. News

Apple, Google, Meta Probed by EU in Test of New Digital Law

Apple Inc., Alphabet Inc.’s Google and Meta Platforms Inc. face the risk of potentially hefty fines as the European Union opened a full-blown investigation into the firms’ compliance with strict new laws reining in the power of Big Tech. The …

Google Announces Free AI Cyber Tools to Bolster Online Security

Alphabet Inc.’s Google announced an initiative to provide artificial intelligence tools and investments to bolster online security, as the emerging technology is increasingly used to both protect against and perpetrate cybercrime. Google will introduce a new open-source resource powered by …

Alphabet Jumps Into Drone Air-Traffic Control With Flight App

Alphabet Inc.’s drone-delivery venture, Wing, is releasing free software for U.S. drone users to get permission to fly near sensitive areas such as airports. The entry of Wing, which is using its corporate cousin Google’s mapping expertise, instantly makes it …

Alphabet’s Waymo Says Its Tech Would Avoid Fatal Human Crashes

The autonomous-car artificial intelligence from Alphabet Inc.’s Waymo avoided or mitigated crashes in most of a set of virtually recreated fatal accidents, according to a white paper the company published Monday. The simulations were based on 72 fatal crashes that …

Aurora Partners With Toyota in Bid to Bring Autonomy to Masses

Aurora Innovation Inc., a Silicon Valley-based autonomous-driving startup with at least a $10 billion valuation, has agreed to a long-term strategic partnership with Toyota Motor Corp. and its supplier Denso Corp. that aims to mass produce autonomous vehicles and launch …

Google Turns Android Phones Into Earthquake Sensors; California to Get Alerts

OAKLAND, Calif. — Alphabet Inc’s Google’s Android phones on Tuesday started detecting earthquakes around the world to provide data that could eventually give billions of users precious seconds of warning of a tremor nearby, with an alerting feature first rolling …

Barr Takes Aim at Legal Shield Enjoyed by Google, Facebook

Attorney General William Barr is taking aim at a legal shield enjoyed by companies such as Alphabet Inc.’s Google and Facebook Inc. as the provision comes under increasing fire from both liberals and conservatives. Barr has accused social media companies …

Waymo’s Autonomous Taxi Service Tops 100,000 Rides

More than 100,000 trips have been taken in robotaxis operated by Waymo, the self-driving car unit of Alphabet Inc. Now the service is expanding to iPhone users. On the first anniversary of its pilot program in Chandler, Arizona, Waymo said …

Alibaba-Backed Startup Autox Applies for Driver-less Test Permit In California

Chinese startup AutoX, backed by e-commerce giant Alibaba, has applied to test self-driving vehicles without an in-car backup driver in California, the first challenger to Alphabet Inc’s autonomous driving venture Waymo to say it has done so. If granted the …

Google’s ‘Thanksgiving Four’ to File Federal Labor Complaint

Four software engineers fired by Google last week plan to file complaints with the National Labor Relations Board, in which they will argue they were the victims of illegal retaliation for workplace activism. The move would further escalate a conflict …