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Google CEO calls for regulation of artificial intelligence

KELVIN CHAN AP Business Writer LONDON (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.” Sundar Pichai’s comments come as lawmakers and governments seriously consider putting limits on how artificial intelligence is used. “There is no […]

France fines Google $166 million for abusing ad dominance

PARIS (AP) — France’s competition authority fined Google 150 million euros ($166 million) on Friday for “abusing its dominant position” in the online ad market. The agency said the U.S. tech company mistreated buyers of ads based on keywords. Methods used by its Google Ads platform are “opaque and difficult to understand” and the company […]

UK opens inquiry into Google's takeover of data company

LONDON (AP) — Britain’s competition watchdog said Tuesday it launched a formal inquiry into Google’s takeover of cloud data analytics company Looker Data Sciences, as it intensifies scrutiny of technology deals. The Competition and Markets Authority said it had notified the two companies on Monday that it was opening an initial inquiry and would decide […]

Google co-founders step aside as antitrust scrutiny heats up

By RACHEL LERMAN AP Technology Writer SAN 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 possible abuse of its privacy practices and market power. But their long foreshadowed successor, Sundar Pichai, has […]

Trump campaign, GOP groups attack Google's new ad policy

By KEVIN FREKING Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign and other Republican election groups criticized tech giant Google on Tuesday for making it harder for political advertisers to target specific types of people. The GOP groups said the changes will lead directly to suppressing voter turnout and would “disproportionately” hurt Republican […]

Czechs to impose 7% tax on global internet giants

PRAGUE (AP) — The Czech government has approved a plan to adopt a tax on internet giants like Google, Amazon, Facebook and Apple. Joining France and some other countries, the measure would impose a 7% annual tax on companies’ digital business revenues in the Czech Republic. It would apply to companies with global sales worth […]

Huawei sells folding smartphone with no Google after US ban

By JOE McDONALD AP Business Writer BEIJING (AP) — Chinese tech giant Huawei is selling its first folding smartphone without Google apps or U.S.-made processor chips following sanctions imposed by Washington. The Mate X, which unfolds to 14.6 centimeters (5.8 inches) wide, went on sale Friday on Huawei’s online store in China priced at 16,999 […]

One big step: Google buys Fitbit for $2.1 billion

By MATT O’BRIEN AP Technology Writer Google, the company that helped make it fun to just sit around surfing the web, is jumping into the fitness-tracker business with both feet, buying Fitbit for about $2.1 billion. The deal could put Google in direct competition with Apple and Samsung in the highly competitive market for smartwatches […]