Google is working to penetrate the enterprise AI application market, and this partnership will aid this goal, providing users with tools that simplify everyday tasks.

The innovative in-app assistant allows Volkswagen owners to ask practical questions, such as how to change a flat tyre, and leverages smartphone cameras to deliver relevant information from the vehicle’s dashboard. 

This functionality is powered by Google’s Gemini large language models, which are adept at understanding and generating human-like responses, along with the firm’s cloud computing infrastructure.

To develop this tool, Google has integrated a comprehensive range of data, including Volkswagen owner manuals and instructional YouTube videos focused on vehicle maintenance, into the Gemini framework. 

Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian highlighted the technical challenges involved in creating this product, particularly concerning multimodality—the ability to process various data types such as text, images, and videos. He noted, “The problem looks superficially simple, but it’s technically very complex.”

Currently, the AI assistant is free for about 120,000 owners of Volkswagen’s Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport models, with plans for a broader rollout to other models from the year 2020 and later by early next year.

This collaboration has the potential to change the competitive industry of the cloud computing market, where Google currently ranks third, trailing Amazon and Microsoft. 

With many businesses continually exploring practical applications for generative AI, integrating such technology into everyday tools like vehicle assistance presents a favourable opportunity.

In 2023, Google’s cloud computing segment contributed $33 billion to the company’s total revenue of $307 billion. While the firm has indicated that AI solutions have greatly boosted its revenue this year, specific figures remain undisclosed. 

Meanwhile, Volkswagen has not provided details regarding the usage metrics of its newly launched AI assistant.

Building on the November 2023 signature of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for a collaboration with Google Cloud in Africa, Liquid C2 is set to improve cyber security and cloud offerings across the continent while introducing them to Google Cloud’s latest AI, data, collaboration, and security solutions.

Customers of Liquid C2 can expect heightened security measures, access to advanced cloud technologies, and a commitment to securing their digital assets.

Liquid C2 is set to be one of Google Cloud’s largest Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) in Africa, combining Google Cloud’s leading security solutions with Liquid C2’s expertise and vision in offering comprehensive security consulting.

In addition, the collaboration enables Liquid C2 to bring the capabilities of both Google Cloud and Anthropic’s AI models to its customers via Google Cloud’s Vertex AI platform1, helping businesses develop and deploy solutions quickly within their cloud environments.

As a strategic partner of Google Cloud’s innovative solutions in Africa, Liquid C2 will also deliver Google Workspace to customers across the continent. Designed to facilitate team connections in a cloud-native environment, Google Workspace also features embedded generative AI tools to help employees create content and achieve greater productivity and collaboration in the workplace.

By fortifying cyber security measures and infusing gen AI capabilities, Liquid C2 envisions a future where security, collaboration, and innovation go hand-in-hand, creating a safer, more productive digital experience for all.

As Africa continues to emerge as a hub for technological advancements, collaboration between leading companies like Liquid C2, Google Cloud, and Anthropic play a crucial role in driving progress, fostering innovation, and attracting global investment.

In a separate but related development, Liquid C2 is also working directly with Anthropic, one of the largest and fastest-growing AI companies globally, to develop AI solutions for large enterprises that want to use it to improve productivity and revenue growth.

Anthropic has a strategic partnership with Google Cloud, and Claude – Anthropic’s family of foundational AI models that excel at thoughtful dialogue, content creation, complex reasoning, creativity, and coding – is available in Google Cloud’s Vertex AI.

Liquid C2’s partnership with Anthropic signifies a shared commitment to empowering businesses in Africa with state-of-the-art AI solutions.

By integrating AI models and services across various industries, Liquid C2 and Anthropic aim to accelerate growth for clients, further positioning Africa as a global player in the digital landscape. The collaboration presents opportunities to apply gen AI to African businesses irrespective of the industry or organisation size.

Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google Cloud said,

“Businesses are increasingly turning to generative AI to drive operational efficiencies, improve the customer experience, and empower their employees like never before. Building on Google’s commitment to investing $1 billion to boost Africa’s digital transformation, our collaborations with market leaders like Liquid C2 and Anthropic will help bring gen AI, security, and other cloud technologies to businesses across the continent. This partnership has the opportunity to transform how African businesses serve and engage their customers as we provide them a foundation for innovation.”

Currently, more than 80% of the largest businesses and organisations operating in more than      31 African countries use a broad spectrum of advanced digital technologies from Liquid supplied by global vendors. Many are keenly interested in moving AI readiness. Liquid C2 will remain a multi-vendor provider, offering its customers best-in-class solutions.

Commenting on the collaboration, Strive Masiyiwa, co-founder and executive chairman of Cassava Technologies, said,

“Our collaborations with Google Cloud and Anthropic signify a significant step change in our journey as Africa’s leading cloud and cyber security provider. We recognise the importance of responsible AI in enabling access to economic opportunities and empowering individuals and businesses across the continent. Our partnerships with these two leading technology firms will help us deliver AI-powered solutions that address the unique challenges and opportunities in Africa’s digital transformation journey. Together, we are setting new benchmarks for these solutions that cater to the complex needs of a diverse clientele.”

Daniela Amodei, president of Anthropic, said:

“We’re excited to partner with Liquid C2 and Google Cloud, bringing frontier AI to businesses across Africa. Combining Anthropic’s safe, steerable AI with Google Cloud’s secure, scalable infrastructure means this partnership has huge potential to enable African companies to grow.”

Under this alliance, Prudential will leverage Google Cloud’s data analytics capabilities, secure and sustainable infrastructure, and the broader Google ecosystem, to accelerate its digital transformation and to enhance user engagement of its health and wealth platform, Pulse. 

For Google Cloud, this partnership with Prudential presents an opportunity to collaborate with a leading insurance provider to make protection, health and savings solutions simpler and more accessible across Asia and Africa.

Pulse is part of Prudential’s multi-channel strategy to make healthcare more accessible and increase financial inclusion. The app provides users with access to services such as health risk assessment and online doctor consultation to help them better manage their health needs, as well as digital wealth tools to make financial decisions simpler1. Pulse is available in 17 markets and 11 languages.

Solmaz Altin, Managing Director, Strategic Business Group, Prudential, said: “Across our markets, people are living longer, but not necessarily healthier and better. Harnessing technology, we want to empower people to live well for longer by making it easier for them to take care of their health and plan for their financial futures.

“Through this strategic partnership, we will leverage new technology solutions to make the Pulse platform more intelligent and engaging with the aim of reaching out to more people across Asia and Africa, in particular those who cannot easily access health and financial information and services.”

This announcement deepens the existing relationship between Prudential and Google that began in 2019. Prudential is using Google Maps in the Pulse application, and further projects with Google Health, Document AI and Fitbit are being explored to enhance efficiency, functionality and user engagement.

Prudential expects to benefit from Google’s suite of data analytics, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning tools such as Kubeflow, Looker, BigQuery and Vertex AI, to enhance customer interactions and to provide more personalised, accurate healthcare information and education to Pulse app users.

In the longer term, Prudential will look to adopt Google’s AI across a broader digital strategy to make accessing insurance simpler, to drive greater efficiency, and to increase agent productivity. For example, through technology such as advanced analytics and AI, Prudential aims to use data to help its agents better understand the needs of their customers. It is also looking to improve customer experience, by digitising the entire claims process, making submission, assessment, and approval more seamless and efficient.

“At Google Cloud, our aim is to help our enterprise customers use technology to deliver outstanding experiences for their customers,” said Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google Cloud. “Prudential is a significant partner of ours and a leading insurer that has been protecting lives for nearly 175 years globally. Our work together will make it easier for people to safeguard their health and protect their finances for the long term with digital tools that are accessible.”

Prudential has more than 530,000 agents across its 23 markets in Asia and Africa and over 170 bancassurance partners with access to circa 27,600 bank branches, serving more than 19 million customers.