Zuckerberg Meets Japan PM in Tokyo to Discuss AI

FILE PHOTO: Meta's CEO Mark Zuckerberg attends a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing at the US Capitol in Washington, US, January 31, 2024. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Meta's CEO Mark Zuckerberg attends a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing at the US Capitol in Washington, US, January 31, 2024. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/File Photo
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Zuckerberg Meets Japan PM in Tokyo to Discuss AI

FILE PHOTO: Meta's CEO Mark Zuckerberg attends a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing at the US Capitol in Washington, US, January 31, 2024. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Meta's CEO Mark Zuckerberg attends a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing at the US Capitol in Washington, US, January 31, 2024. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/File Photo

Meta Platforms Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg discussed artificial intelligence issues with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Tuesday during the Facebook founder's trip through Asia.
"We had a good, productive conversation about AI and the future of technology," Zuckerberg said in brief comments to reporters at the prime minister's residence in Tokyo. He left without taking questions.
The meeting followed reports that Zuckerberg would visit South Korea at the end of this month to discuss AI with Samsung Electronics chairman, Jay Y. Lee, and possibly meet South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol.
Meta, the operator of Facebook, last week confirmed Zuckerberg was planning to visit South Korea.
Japan's government and corporate sector are racing to catch up in AI development. In the past year, Kishida has met with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang to discuss AI regulation and infrastructure.



Google Contemplated Exclusive Gemini AI Deals with Android Makers

Android Ecosystem president Sameer Samat presents the newest Gemini AI model capabilities during the Made by Google event in Mountain View, California, US, August 13, 2024. (Reuters)
Android Ecosystem president Sameer Samat presents the newest Gemini AI model capabilities during the Made by Google event in Mountain View, California, US, August 13, 2024. (Reuters)
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Google Contemplated Exclusive Gemini AI Deals with Android Makers

Android Ecosystem president Sameer Samat presents the newest Gemini AI model capabilities during the Made by Google event in Mountain View, California, US, August 13, 2024. (Reuters)
Android Ecosystem president Sameer Samat presents the newest Gemini AI model capabilities during the Made by Google event in Mountain View, California, US, August 13, 2024. (Reuters)

Alphabet's Google contemplated deals with Android phone makers such as Samsung last year that would provide exclusivity for not only its search app, but also for its Gemini AI app and Chrome browser, according to a document shown at the second day of an antitrust trial.

The US Department of Justice and a broad coalition of state attorneys general are seeking an order from a judge in Washington that would require Google to sell its Chrome browser and take other measures. They hope to end what the judge found was Google's monopoly in online search and related advertising.

In that ruling, US District Judge Amit Mehta found that Google protected its search monopoly through exclusive agreements with Samsung Electronics and others to have its search engine installed as the default on new devices.

Google entered a new, non-exclusive agreement with Samsung on April 1 that includes no restriction on the smartphone maker loading alternative search products, according to a document shown at trial.

Google had proposed loosening its agreements to address Mehta's ruling but had not announced it was already doing so.

Prosecutors raised concerns in opening statements on Monday that Google's search monopoly could give it advantages in AI, and that its AI products are another way to lead users to its search engine.

OpenAI's ChatGPT head of product Nick Turley is expected to take the stand on Tuesday and testify about how Google's exclusive agreements make it harder to distribute AI products such as ChatGPT.

Google has said the case is not about AI, and that it faces robust competition from companies including Meta Platforms.