Editing Google (section)

=== 2012 onwards ===
In June 2013, Google acquired [[Waze]] for $966 million.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kerr |first=Dara |date=July 25, 2013 |title=Google reveals it spent $966 million in Waze acquisition |url=https://www.cnet.com/news/google-reveals-it-spent-966-million-in-waze-acquisition/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170216011658/https://www.cnet.com/news/google-reveals-it-spent-966-million-in-waze-acquisition/ |archive-date=February 16, 2017 |access-date=June 12, 2017 |website=[[CNET]] |publisher=CBS Interactive}}</ref> While Waze would remain an independent entity, its social features, such as its crowdsourced location platform, were reportedly valuable integrations between Waze and [[Google Maps]], Google's own mapping service.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lunden |first=Ingrid |date=June 11, 2013 |title=Google Bought Waze For $1.1B, Giving A Social Data Boost To Its Mapping Business |url=https://techcrunch.com/2013/06/11/its-official-google-buys-waze-giving-a-social-data-boost-to-its-location-and-mapping-business/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170706051802/https://techcrunch.com/2013/06/11/its-official-google-buys-waze-giving-a-social-data-boost-to-its-location-and-mapping-business/ |archive-date=July 6, 2017 |access-date=June 12, 2017 |website=[[TechCrunch]] |publisher=[[AOL]]}}</ref> Google announced the launch of a new company, called [[Calico (company)|Calico]], on September 19, 2013, to be led by Apple Inc. chairman [[Arthur D. Levinson|Arthur Levinson]]. In the official public statement, Page explained that the "health and well-being" company would focus on "the challenge of ageing and associated diseases".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Wakefield |first=Jane |date=September 19, 2013 |title=Google spin-off Calico to search for answers to ageing |work=[[BBC News]] |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-24158924 |url-status=live |access-date=September 20, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130919201510/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-24158924 |archive-date=September 19, 2013}}</ref>

[[File:Google-Deep Mind headquarters in London, 6 Pancras Square.jpg|thumb|upright|Entrance of building where Google and its subsidiary Deep Mind are located at 6 Pancras Square, London|alt=]]
On January 26, 2014, Google announced it had agreed to acquire [[DeepMind Technologies]], a privately held AI company from [[London]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Chowdhry |first=Amit |date=January 27, 2014 |title=Google To Acquire Artificial Intelligence Company DeepMind |work=[[Forbes]] |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/amitchowdhry/2014/01/27/google-to-acquire-artificial-intelligence-company-deepmind/ |url-status=live |access-date=January 27, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140129142153/http://www.forbes.com/sites/amitchowdhry/2014/01/27/google-to-acquire-artificial-intelligence-company-deepmind/ |archive-date=January 29, 2014}}</ref> Technology news website ''[[Recode]]'' reported that the company was purchased for $400 million, yet the source of the information was not disclosed. A Google spokesperson declined to comment on the price.<ref name="Helgren- DeepMind">{{Cite news |last=Helgren |first=Chris |date=January 27, 2014 |title=Google to buy artificial intelligence company DeepMind |work=[[Reuters]] |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-google-deepmind-idUSBREA0Q03220140127 |url-status=live |access-date=January 27, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140127042513/http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/27/us-google-deepmind-idUSBREA0Q03220140127 |archive-date=January 27, 2014}}</ref><ref name="Ribeiro- DeepMind">{{Cite news |last=Ribeiro |first=Jon |date=January 27, 2014 |title=Google buys artificial intelligence company DeepMind |work=PC World |url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/2091500/google-acquires-artificial-intelligence-company-deepmind.html |url-status=live |access-date=January 27, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140130042946/http://www.pcworld.com/article/2091500/google-acquires-artificial-intelligence-company-deepmind.html |archive-date=January 30, 2014}}</ref> The purchase of DeepMind aids in Google's recent growth in the AI and robotics community.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Opam |first=Kwame |date=January 26, 2014 |title=Google buying AI startup DeepMind for a reported $400 million |url=https://www.theverge.com/2014/1/26/5348640/google-deepmind-acquisition-robotics-ai |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170708161602/https://www.theverge.com/2014/1/26/5348640/google-deepmind-acquisition-robotics-ai |archive-date=July 8, 2017 |access-date=March 9, 2017 |website=[[The Verge]] |publisher=[[Vox Media]]}}</ref> In 2015, DeepMind's [[AlphaGo]] became the first computer program to [[AlphaGo versus Lee Sedol|defeat a top human pro]] at the game of Go.

According to Interbrand's annual Best Global Brands report, Google has been the second most valuable brand in the world (behind Apple Inc.) in 2013,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rankings – 2013 – Best Global Brands – Interbrand |url=http://interbrand.com/best-brands/best-global-brands/2013/ranking/#?listFormat=ls |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161022013506/http://interbrand.com/best-brands/best-global-brands/2013/ranking/#?listFormat=ls |archive-date=October 22, 2016 |access-date=October 23, 2016 |website=Interbrand }}</ref> 2014,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rankings – 2014 – Best Global Brands – Interbrand |url=http://interbrand.com/best-brands/best-global-brands/2014/ranking/#?listFormat=ls |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161103140119/http://interbrand.com/best-brands/best-global-brands/2014/ranking/#?listFormat=ls |archive-date=November 3, 2016 |access-date=October 23, 2016 |website=Interbrand }}</ref> 2015,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rankings – 2015 – Best Global Brands – Interbrand |url=http://interbrand.com/best-brands/best-global-brands/2015/ranking/#?listFormat=ls |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161021100708/http://interbrand.com/best-brands/best-global-brands/2015/ranking/#?listFormat=ls |archive-date=October 21, 2016 |access-date=October 23, 2016 |website=Interbrand }}</ref> and 2016, with a valuation of $133 billion.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rankings – 2016 – Best Global Brands |url=http://interbrand.com/best-brands/best-global-brands/2016/ranking/#?listFormat=ls |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20161220191226/http://interbrand.com/best-brands/best-global-brands/2016/ranking/#?listFormat=ls |archive-date=December 20, 2016 |access-date=October 23, 2016 |website=Interbrand }}</ref>

On August 10, 2015, Google announced plans to reorganize its various interests as a [[Conglomerate (company)|conglomerate]] named Alphabet Inc. Google became Alphabet's largest subsidiary and the [[umbrella company]] for Alphabet's Internet interests. Upon completion of the restructuring, Sundar Pichai became [[Chief executive officer|CEO]] of Google, replacing Larry Page, who became CEO of Alphabet.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Womack |first=Brian |date=August 10, 2015 |title=Google Rises After Creating Holding Company Called Alphabet |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-08-10/google-to-adopt-new-holding-structure-under-name-alphabet- |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161123054841/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-08-10/google-to-adopt-new-holding-structure-under-name-alphabet- |archive-date=November 23, 2016 |access-date=November 22, 2016 |publisher=[[Bloomberg L.P.]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last1=Barr |first1=Alistair |last2=Winkler |first2=Rolf |date=August 10, 2015 |title=Google Creates Parent Company Called Alphabet in Restructuring |work=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/google-creates-new-company-alphabet-1439240645 |url-status=live |access-date=November 22, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161128112043/http://www.wsj.com/articles/google-creates-new-company-alphabet-1439240645 |archive-date=November 28, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Dougherty |first=Conor |date=August 10, 2015 |title=Google to Reorganize as Alphabet to Keep Its Lead as an Innovator |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/11/technology/google-alphabet-restructuring.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161019164806/http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/11/technology/google-alphabet-restructuring.html |archive-date=October 19, 2016 |access-date=November 22, 2016 |website=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref>
[[File:The CEO of Google, Mr. Sundar Pichai calls on the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, in New Delhi on December 17, 2015 (1).jpg|thumb|Current CEO, [[Sundar Pichai]], with [[Prime Minister of India]], [[Narendra Modi]]]]
On August 8, 2017, Google fired employee James Damore after he distributed a memo throughout the company that argued bias and "[[Google's Ideological Echo Chamber]]" clouded their thinking about diversity and inclusion, and that it is also biological factors, not discrimination alone, that cause the average woman to be less interested than men in technical positions.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Google Fires Engineer Who Wrote Memo Questioning Women in Tech|website=[[The New York Times]]|date=August 8, 2017|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/07/business/google-women-engineer-fired-memo.html|last1=Wakabayashi|first1=Daisuke|access-date=August 10, 2017|archive-date=August 10, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170810185646/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/07/business/google-women-engineer-fired-memo.html|url-status=dead}}. ''[[The New York Times]]'', August 7, 2017</ref> Google CEO Sundar Pichai accused Damore of violating company policy by "advancing harmful gender stereotypes in our workplace", and he was fired on the same day.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Contentious Memo Strikes Nerve Inside Google and Out|website=[[The New York Times]]|date=August 8, 2017|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/08/technology/google-engineer-fired-gender-memo.html|last1=Wakabayashi|first1=Daisuke|access-date=August 10, 2017|archive-date=August 9, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170809012140/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/08/technology/google-engineer-fired-gender-memo.html|url-status=dead}}. ''[[The New York Times]]'', August 8, 2017</ref><ref>diversitymemo.com</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Friedersdorf |first=Conor |date=August 8, 2017 |title=The Most Common Error in Media Coverage of the Google Memo |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/08/the-most-common-error-in-coverage-of-the-google-memo/536181/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170808230220/https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/08/the-most-common-error-in-coverage-of-the-google-memo/536181/ |archive-date=August 8, 2017 |access-date=August 9, 2017 |website=[[The Atlantic]]}}</ref>

Between 2018 and 2019, [[Google worker organization|tensions between the company's leadership and its workers escalated]] as staff protested company decisions on internal sexual harassment, [[Dragonfly (search engine)|Dragonfly]], a censored Chinese search engine, and [[Project Maven]], a military drone artificial intelligence, which had been seen as areas of revenue growth for the company.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bergen |first=Mark |date=November 22, 2019 |title=Google Workers Protest Company's 'Brute Force Intimidation' |language=en |work=[[Bloomberg.com]] |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-11-22/google-workers-protest-company-s-brute-force-intimidation |access-date=November 27, 2019 |archive-date=November 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191127180949/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-11-22/google-workers-protest-company-s-brute-force-intimidation |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Verge busting">{{Cite web |last=Hollister |first=Sean |date=November 25, 2019 |title=Google is accused of union busting after firing four employees |url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/11/25/20983053/google-fires-four-employees-memo-rebecca-rivers-laurence-berland-union-busting-accusation-walkout |access-date=November 26, 2019 |website=[[The Verge]] |language=en |archive-date=November 26, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191126091658/https://www.theverge.com/2019/11/25/20983053/google-fires-four-employees-memo-rebecca-rivers-laurence-berland-union-busting-accusation-walkout |url-status=live }}</ref> On October 25, 2018, ''[[The New York Times]]'' published the ''exposé'', "How Google Protected [[Andy Rubin]], the 'Father of Android'". The company subsequently announced that "48 employees have been fired over the last two years" for sexual misconduct.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Welch |first=Chris |date=October 25, 2018 |title=Google says 48 people have been fired for sexual harassment in the last two years |url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/10/25/18024486/google-sexual-harassment-people-fired-rubin-2-years-ceo |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181031133020/https://www.theverge.com/2018/10/25/18024486/google-sexual-harassment-people-fired-rubin-2-years-ceo |archive-date=October 31, 2018 |access-date=October 31, 2018 |website=[[The Verge]]}}</ref> On November 1, 2018, more than 20,000 Google employees and contractors staged a global walk-out to protest the company's handling of sexual harassment complaints.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hamilton |first=Isobel Asher |display-authors=etal |date=November 1, 2018 |title=PHOTOS: Google employees all over the world left their desk and walked out in protest over sexual misconduct |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/google-walkout-live-pictures-of-protesting-google-workers-2018-11 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181102174328/https://www.businessinsider.com/google-walkout-live-pictures-of-protesting-google-workers-2018-11 |archive-date=November 2, 2018 |access-date=November 6, 2018 |website=[[Business Insider]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Segarra |first=Lisa Marie |date=November 3, 2018 |title=More Than 20,000 Google Employees Participated in Walkout Over Sexual Harassment Policy |publisher=[[Fortune (magazine)|Fortune]]|url=http://fortune.com/2018/11/03/google-employees-walkout-demands/ |url-status=live |access-date=November 6, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181107013331/http://fortune.com/2018/11/03/google-employees-walkout-demands/ |archive-date=November 7, 2018}}</ref> CEO Sundar Pichai was reported to be in support of the protests.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Liedtke |first=Michael |date=November 1, 2018 |title=Google workers walk out to protest sexual misconduct |publisher=Akron Beacon/Journal |agency=[[Associated Press]] |location=San Francisco, Calf. |url=https://www.ohio.com/news/20181101/google-workers-walk-out-to-protest-sexual-misconduct |access-date=November 6, 2018 |archive-date=November 7, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181107010412/https://www.ohio.com/news/20181101/google-workers-walk-out-to-protest-sexual-misconduct |url-status=live }}</ref> Later in 2019, some workers accused the company of retaliating against internal activists.{{r|Verge busting}}

On March 19, 2019, Google announced that it would enter the video game market, launching a [[cloud gaming]] platform called [[Google Stadia]].<ref name="unveils">{{Cite web |last=Warren |first=Tom |date=March 19, 2019 |title=Google unveils Stadia cloud gaming service, launches in 2019 |url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/3/19/18271702/google-stadia-cloud-gaming-service-announcement-gdc-2019 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190319173136/https://www.theverge.com/2019/3/19/18271702/google-stadia-cloud-gaming-service-announcement-gdc-2019 |archive-date=March 19, 2019 |access-date=April 8, 2019 |website=[[The Verge]]}}</ref>

On June 3, 2019, the [[United States Department of Justice]] reported that it would investigate Google for [[antitrust]] violations.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Google shares take a dive with reports of US DoJ 'competition' probe |url=https://www.theregister.com/2019/06/03/google_shares_take_a_dive_on_doj_reports/ |website=www.theregister.com |access-date=September 27, 2020 |archive-date=September 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200927011823/https://www.theregister.com/2019/06/03/google_shares_take_a_dive_on_doj_reports/ |url-status=live }}</ref> This led to the filing of an antitrust lawsuit in October 2020, on the grounds the company had abused a monopoly position in the [[Web search engine|search]] and [[search advertising]] markets.<ref>{{Cite news |title=U.S. Files Antitrust Suit Against Google |work=[[NPR]] |url=https://www.npr.org/2020/10/20/925895658/u-s-files-antitrust-suit-against-google |access-date=October 25, 2020 |archive-date=October 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201025210439/https://www.npr.org/2020/10/20/925895658/u-s-files-antitrust-suit-against-google |url-status=live }}</ref>

In December 2019, former [[PayPal]] [[chief operating officer]] Bill Ready became Google's new commerce chief. Ready's role will not be directly involved with [[Google Pay (2018–2022)|Google Pay]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Perez |first=Sarah |date=December 11, 2019 |title=PayPal's exiting COO Bill Ready to join Google as its new president of Commerce |url=https://techcrunch.com/2019/12/11/paypals-exiting-coo-bill-ready-to-join-google-as-its-new-president-of-commerce/ |website=[[TechCrunch]] |access-date=April 8, 2021 |archive-date=May 13, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210513124523/https://techcrunch.com/2019/12/11/paypals-exiting-coo-bill-ready-to-join-google-as-its-new-president-of-commerce/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

In April 2020, due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], Google announced several cost-cutting measures. Such measures included slowing down hiring for the remainder of 2020, except for a small number of strategic areas, recalibrating the focus and pace of investments in areas like data centers and machines, and non-business essential marketing and travel.<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 15, 2020 |title=Bloomberg – Google to Slow Hiring for Rest of 2020, CEO Tells Staff |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-04-15/google-to-slow-hiring-for-rest-of-2020-ceo-pichai-tells-staff |access-date=April 16, 2020 |website=www.bloomberg.com |archive-date=April 16, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200416050831/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-04-15/google-to-slow-hiring-for-rest-of-2020-ceo-pichai-tells-staff |url-status=live }}</ref> Most employees were also working from home due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]] and the success of it even led to Google announcing that they would be permanently converting some of their jobs to work from home <ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Bonacini |first1=Luca |last2=Gallo |first2=Giovanni |last3=Scicchitano |first3=Sergio |date=2021 |title=Working from home and income inequality: risks of a 'new normal' with COVID-19 |journal=Journal of Population Economics |language=en |volume=34 |issue=1 |pages=303–360 |doi=10.1007/s00148-020-00800-7 |issn=0933-1433 |pmc=7486597 |pmid=32952308}}</ref>

The [[2020 Google services outages]] disrupted Google services: one in August that affected [[Google Drive]] among others, another in November affecting [[YouTube]], and a third in December affecting the entire suite of Google applications. All three outages were resolved within hours.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Google services including Gmail hit by serious disruption |url=https://news.sky.com/story/google-services-including-gmail-hit-by-serious-disruption-12052892 |website=Sky News |access-date=December 14, 2020 |archive-date=December 14, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201214132214/https://news.sky.com/story/google-services-including-gmail-hit-by-serious-disruption-12052892 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Li |first=Abner |date=November 12, 2020 |title=YouTube is currently down amid widespread outage |work=9to5Google |url=https://9to5google.com/2020/11/11/youtube-tv-down-2/ |access-date=December 14, 2020 |archive-date=December 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201223191848/https://9to5google.com/2020/11/11/youtube-tv-down-2/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=December 14, 2020 |title=YouTube back online, all services restored as Google apologizes for 'system outage' &#124; TechRadar |url=https://www.techradar.com/news/google-suite-youtube-and-other-services-are-down |website=www.techradar.com |access-date=February 23, 2022 |archive-date=December 14, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201214235555/https://www.techradar.com/amp/news/google-suite-youtube-and-other-services-are-down%26ved%3D0ahUKEwjT_qTet83tAhVJJzQIHcFXB-kQyM8BCCgwAQ%26usg%3DAOvVaw0HFBmVnTnarPXLRK7ok2jE%26ampcf%3D1 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 2021, the [[Alphabet Workers Union]] was founded, composed mostly of Google employees.<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 4, 2021 |title=Google employees are forming a union |url=https://www.androidpolice.com/2021/01/04/google-employees-are-forming-a-union/ |access-date=March 26, 2022 |website=Android Police |language=en-US |archive-date=March 24, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220324193401/https://www.androidpolice.com/2021/01/04/google-employees-are-forming-a-union/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

In January 2021, the [[Australian Government]] proposed legislation that would require Google and Facebook to pay media companies for the right to use their content. In response, Google threatened to close off access to its search engine in Australia.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Jose |first=Renju |date=January 22, 2021 |title=Google says to block search engine in Australia if forced to pay for news |language=en |work=[[Reuters]] |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-australia-media-google-idUSKBN29R04O |access-date=January 22, 2021 |archive-date=September 18, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210918073029/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-australia-media-google-idUSKBN29R04O |url-status=live }}</ref>

In March 2021, Google reportedly paid $20 million for [[Ubisoft]] ports on Google Stadia.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Google reportedly paid $20m for Ubisoft ports on Stadia |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-03-01-google-reportedly-paid-usd20m-for-ubisoft-ports-on-stadia |access-date=March 1, 2021 |website=GamesIndustry.biz |date=March 2021 |language=en |archive-date=March 1, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210301103546/https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-03-01-google-reportedly-paid-usd20m-for-ubisoft-ports-on-stadia |url-status=live }}</ref> Google spent "tens of millions of dollars" on getting major publishers such as [[Ubisoft]] and Take-Two to bring some of their biggest games to Stadia.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Schreier|first=Jason|date=February 28, 2021|title=Google had big video game ambitions. Then reality hit|url=https://fortune.com/2021/02/27/google-stadia-video-game-streaming-reality-check-consoles/|access-date=February 3, 2022|website=[[Fortune (magazine)|Fortune]]|language=en|archive-date=February 3, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220203054851/https://fortune.com/2021/02/27/google-stadia-video-game-streaming-reality-check-consoles/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In April 2021, ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'' reported that Google ran a years-long program called "Project Bernanke" that used data from past advertising bids to gain an advantage over competing for ad services. This was revealed in documents concerning the antitrust lawsuit filed by ten US states against Google in December.<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 11, 2021 |title=Google's Secret 'Project Bernanke' Revealed in Texas Antitrust Case |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/googles-secret-project-bernanke-revealed-in-texas-antitrust-case-11618097760 |access-date=April 13, 2021 |website=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |language=en |archive-date=April 13, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210413012105/https://www.wsj.com/articles/googles-secret-project-bernanke-revealed-in-texas-antitrust-case-11618097760 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In September 2021, the Australian government announced plans to curb Google's capability to sell targeted ads, claiming that the company has a monopoly on the market harming publishers, advertisers, and consumers.<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 28, 2021 |title=Australian Government Plans to Curb Google's Capability to Sell Targeted Ads – September 28, 2021 |url=https://dailynewsbrief.com/2021/09/28/australian-government-plans-to-curb-googles-capability-to-sell-targeted-ads/ |access-date=October 4, 2021 |website=Daily News Brief |language=en-US |archive-date=October 4, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211004124647/https://dailynewsbrief.com/2021/09/28/australian-government-plans-to-curb-googles-capability-to-sell-targeted-ads/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2022, Google began accepting requests for the removal of phone numbers, physical addresses and email addresses from its search results. It had previously accepted requests for removing confidential data only, such as Social Security numbers, bank account and credit card numbers, personal signatures, and medical records. Even with the new policy, Google may remove information from only certain but not all search queries. It would not remove content that is "broadly useful", such as news articles, or already part of the public record.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Picchi |first1=Aimee |title=Google will now remove your phone number and other info from search results. Here's how to do it. |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/google-search-remove-phone-number-personal-information/ |work=[[CBS News]] |date=April 28, 2022 |access-date=May 4, 2022 |archive-date=May 4, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220504084126/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/google-search-remove-phone-number-personal-information/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

In May 2022, Google announced that the company had acquired California based, MicroLED display technology development and manufacturing Start-up company Raxium. Raxium is set to join Google's Devices and Services team to aid in the development of micro-optics, monolithic integration, and system integration.<ref>{{cite web|date=May 5, 2022|url=https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/technology/2025894-google-announces-acquisition-of-microled-startup-raxium|title=Google announces acquisition of MicroLED startup Raxium|website=Devdiscourse|access-date=May 6, 2022|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220506121844/https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/technology/2025894-google-announces-acquisition-of-microled-startup-raxium|archive-date=May 6, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.computerworld.com/article/3646533/noteworthy-tech-acquisitions-2022.html|title=Noteworthy tech acquisitions 2022|website=Computer World|date=July 6, 2022|author=Charlotte Trueman|access-date=July 24, 2022|archive-date=July 16, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220716040142/https://www.computerworld.com/article/3646533/noteworthy-tech-acquisitions-2022.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

In December 2022, Google debuted OSV-Scanner,<ref>{{cite web | title= Google debuts OSV-Scanner to find vulns in open source apps • The Register | first1= Thomas | last1= Claburn | date= December 15, 2022 | access-date=October 15, 2024 | url= https://www.theregister.com/2022/12/15/google_debuts_osvscanner_a_gobased/ | archive-date=December 15, 2022 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20221215090350/https://www.theregister.com/2022/12/15/google_debuts_osvscanner_a_gobased/ }}</ref><ref>{{ cite web | title= Google Launches OSV-Scanner Tool to Identify Open Source Vulnerabilities | first1= Ravie | last1= Lakshmanan | date=December 13, 2022 | url= https://thehackernews.com/2022/12/google-launches-largest-distributed.html | archive-date= December 13, 2022 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20221213191239/https://thehackernews.com/2022/12/google-launches-largest-distributed.html | access-date=October 15, 2024 }}</ref> a [[Go (programming language)|Go]] tool for finding [[security hole]]s in [[open source software]], which pulls from the largest open source [[vulnerability database]] of its kind to defend against [[Software supply chain|supply chain]] attacks.

Following the success of [[ChatGPT]] and concerns that Google was falling behind in the AI race, Google's senior management issued a "code red"<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Grant |first1=Nico |last2=Metz |first2=Cade |date=December 21, 2022 |title=A New Chat Bot Is a 'Code Red' for Google's Search Business |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/21/technology/ai-chatgpt-google-search.html |access-date=February 2, 2025 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> and a "directive that all of its most important products—those with more than a billion users—must incorporate generative AI within months".<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Love |first1=Julia |last2=Alba |first2=Davey |date=March 8, 2023 |title=Google's Plan to Catch ChatGPT Is to Stuff AI Into Everything |language=en |work=[[Bloomberg News|Bloomberg]] Businessweek |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-03-08/chatgpt-success-drives-google-to-put-ai-in-all-its-products |access-date=March 14, 2023 |archive-date=March 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230312010416/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-03-08/chatgpt-success-drives-google-to-put-ai-in-all-its-products |url-status=live }}</ref> In March 2023, in direct response to the rapid rise of ChatGPT, Google released Bard (now [[Gemini (chatbot)|Gemini]]), a [[generative artificial intelligence]] [[chatbot]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Google just launched Bard, its answer to ChatGPT—and it wants you to make it better |url=https://www.technologyreview.com/2023/03/21/1070111/google-bard-chatgpt-openai-microsoft-bing-search/ |access-date=February 4, 2025 |website=MIT Technology Review |language=en}}</ref>

In early May 2023, Google announced its plans to build two additional data centers in Ohio. These centers, which will be built in Columbus and Lancaster, will power up the company's tools, including AI technology. The said data hub will add to the already operational center near Columbus, bringing Google's total investment in Ohio to over $2 billion.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/google-open-data-centers-ohio-99041576 |title=Google to open two more data centers in Ohio |work=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]] |access-date=May 6, 2023 |archive-date=May 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230506082230/https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/google-open-data-centers-ohio-99041576 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In August 2024, Google would lose a [[United States v. Google LLC (2020)|lawsuit which started in 2020]] in lower court, as it was found that the company had an illegal monopoly over Internet search.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theverge.com/2024/8/6/24214641/google-us-monopoly-ruling-what-happens|title=Now that Google is a monopolist, what's next? / Reaching a decision on what to do about Google Search could take a very long time.|first=Jay|last=Peters|publisher=The Verge|date=August 6, 2024|accessdate=August 6, 2024}}</ref> D.C. Circuit Court Judge Amit Mehta held that this monopoly was in violation of Section 2 of the [[Sherman Act]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Business/google-violated-antitrust-laws-maintain-dominance-online-search/story?id=112591120|title=Google violated antitrust laws to maintain dominance over online search, judge says|first=Alexander|last=Mallin|publisher=ABC News|date=August 5, 2024|accessdate=August 6, 2024}}</ref> In September 2024, the [[EU Court of Justice]], based in Europe, would also find that Google held an illegal monopoly, in this case with regards to its shopping search, and could not avoid paying a €2.4 billion fine.<ref name=eushoppingruling>{{cite news|url=https://www.politico.eu/article/google-loses-court-battle-over-first-eu-antitrust-fine/|title=Google loses EU court battle over €2.4B antitrust fine|first=Edith|last=Hancock|publisher=Politico|date=September 10, 2024|accessdate=September 10, 2024}}</ref> The EU Court of Justice found that Google's treatment of rival shopping searches, which the court referred to as "discriminatory", was in violation of the [[Digital Markets Act]].<ref name=eushoppingruling />

In October 2024, Google was fined by a local Russian court a symbolic 2.5 decillion dollars for allegedly blocking pro-Kremlin propaganda. No payment was made.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Anthony Cuthbertson |date=October 31, 2024 |title=Russia fines Google $20 decillion (that's 2.5 trillion trillion trillion dollars) |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/tech/russia-fines-google-decillion-youtube-lawsuit-b2638752.html |access-date=October 31, 2024 |work=[[The Independent]]}}</ref>

In November 2024, Google announced the establishment of a new AI hub in Saudi Arabia, aiming to support the Kingdom's economic growth and technological development as part of its Vision 2030 initiative. This AI hub is projected to contribute up to $71 billion to Saudi Arabia's economy by advancing AI-driven solutions tailored to the region's specific needs and training local talent.<ref>{{Cite news |date=November 6, 2024 |title=Saudis Plan $100 Billion AI Powerhouse to Rival UAE Tech Hub |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-11-06/saudis-plan-100-billion-ai-powerhouse-to-rival-uae-s-tech-hub?embedded-checkout=true |access-date=November 8, 2024 |work=Bloomberg.com |language=en}}</ref>

The partnership between Google and Saudi Arabia includes collaboration with key stakeholders, such as the Public Investment Fund (PIF), to develop AI applications that will benefit sectors like healthcare, finance, oil and gas, and logistics. The initiative focuses on creating localized AI technologies, with an emphasis on integrating Arabic language capabilities and enabling widespread cloud adoption.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kahil |first=Nadine |date=November 7, 2024 |title=Google's new AI hub in Saudi Arabia aims to add $71 billion to local economy |url=https://wired.me/technology/googles-ai-hub-saudi-arabia/ |access-date=November 8, 2024 |website=WIRED Middle East |language=en-GB}}</ref>

In March 2025, Google agreed to acquire [[Wiz, Inc.|Wiz]], a New York-based [[cybersecurity]] startup focusing on cloud computing, for US$32 billion. This cash deal would be Google's biggest ever, as well as it currently being the most expensive deal of 2025. Alphabet reportedly tried to close a deal for only $23 billion in 2024, but this fell apart after concerns about regulatory hurdles, among other issues. Wiz, a company located in the U.S. and Israel, was cofounded in 2020 by [[Assaf Rappaport]]. The company is backed by a number of Silicon Valley venture capitalists, as well as notably being partnered with Amazon and Microsoft, as listed in their website. Google reportedly said "the deal would help artificial-intelligence companies get better security and use more than one cloud service."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jin |first=Lauren Thomas and Berber |title=Google Strikes $32 Billion Deal for Cybersecurity Startup Wiz |url=https://www.wsj.com/business/deals/alphabet-back-in-deal-talks-for-cybersecurity-startup-wiz-41cd3090?mod=tech_more_article_pos25 |access-date=March 25, 2025 |website=WSJ |language=en-US}}</ref>