Google Parent's Partnership with AI Startup Anthropic under UK Investigation

Letters spell the word "Alphabet" as they are seen on a computer screen with a Google search page in this photo illustration taken in Paris, France, August 11, 2015. REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol/File Photo
Letters spell the word "Alphabet" as they are seen on a computer screen with a Google search page in this photo illustration taken in Paris, France, August 11, 2015. REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol/File Photo
TT

Google Parent's Partnership with AI Startup Anthropic under UK Investigation

Letters spell the word "Alphabet" as they are seen on a computer screen with a Google search page in this photo illustration taken in Paris, France, August 11, 2015. REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol/File Photo
Letters spell the word "Alphabet" as they are seen on a computer screen with a Google search page in this photo illustration taken in Paris, France, August 11, 2015. REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol/File Photo

Britain's competition watchdog is investigating Google-parent Alphabet's partnership with AI startup Anthropic and its impact on competition, the regulator said on Tuesday.

This becomes the latest AI partnership to come under scrutiny by the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which earlier this month launched a probe into Microsoft's hiring of some former staff of Inflection AI and its partnership with the startup, Reuters reported.

The CMA, which is seeking views on whether the Alphabet-Anthropic partnership could lessen competition in the UK, has set a deadline of Aug. 13 for its so-called phase 1 invitation to comment.

The partnership between Amazon and Anthropic, owner of the generative AI chatbot Claude, has also drawn scrutiny from the British watchdog.



Riyadh Municipality Integrates Robots, Smart Technologies into Stormwater Drainage Network Maintenance

The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat
The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat
TT

Riyadh Municipality Integrates Robots, Smart Technologies into Stormwater Drainage Network Maintenance

The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat
The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat

The Riyadh Municipality has announced the introduction of specialized robots and smart technologies into its regular operations for inspecting stormwater drainage networks and their components for proactive maintenance.

The robots can navigate through water and various surfaces, measure and analyze the networks, contributing to swift and effective decision-making.

The robots operate by capturing three-dimensional, 360-degree images of the networks and converting the results into data through artificial intelligence (AI). This maximizes the use of technology to expedite the municipality's tasks, ensure the readiness of stormwater drainage networks, and develop proactive maintenance plans.

The Riyadh Municipality continues to oversee regular, preventive, and scheduled maintenance of all components of the stormwater drainage networks in Riyadh. This aims to ensure the safety and readiness of the networks’ components and addresses network malfunctions and surrounding issues using modern technologies that help identify and resolve problems.

These efforts are part of the municipality's ongoing commitment to providing quality services to residents and maintaining public safety, aligning with its strategy to promote digital transformation and support urban growth.