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Vodafone, Google Deepen AI Ties Across Europe, Africa

FILE PHOTO: Vodafone's logo is displayed, during the GSMA's 2023 Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain March 1, 2023. REUTERS/Nacho Doce/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Vodafone's logo is displayed, during the GSMA's 2023 Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain March 1, 2023. REUTERS/Nacho Doce/File Photo
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Vodafone, Google Deepen AI Ties Across Europe, Africa

FILE PHOTO: Vodafone's logo is displayed, during the GSMA's 2023 Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain March 1, 2023. REUTERS/Nacho Doce/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Vodafone's logo is displayed, during the GSMA's 2023 Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain March 1, 2023. REUTERS/Nacho Doce/File Photo

Britain's Vodafone said on Tuesday it has deepened its strategic partnership with Alphabet's Google in a ten-year, billion dollar plus deal that will bring the US tech giant's new generative AI-powered devices to customers across Europe and Africa.
According to Reuters, Vodafone said it would expand access to Google's artificial intelligence-powered Pixel devices with its 5G network in Europe and would continue promoting the Android ecosystem.
Global technology companies are competing to lure customers to upgrade their phones using new generative AI features, with the likes of Apple, Google and Samsung offering a suite of visual, text and audio features powered by AI.
Vodafone will offer Google One AI Premium subscription plans, which include Gemini Advanced, in certain countries by 2025, it said.
Vodafone will also use Google Cloud's enterprise-ready AI platform as part of the expanded partnership.
Google is in an AI race with companies such as OpenAI, which is backed by the likes of Microsoft and NVIDIA .

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Tesla Plans Four New Batteries in 2026, Including for Robotaxi

FILE PHOTO: A staff member attends to customers inside a Tesla Model Y car at a showroom of the US electric vehicle (EV) maker in Beijing, China, Feb. 4, 2023. REUTERS/Florence Lo/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A staff member attends to customers inside a Tesla Model Y car at a showroom of the US electric vehicle (EV) maker in Beijing, China, Feb. 4, 2023. REUTERS/Florence Lo/File Photo
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Tesla Plans Four New Batteries in 2026, Including for Robotaxi

FILE PHOTO: A staff member attends to customers inside a Tesla Model Y car at a showroom of the US electric vehicle (EV) maker in Beijing, China, Feb. 4, 2023. REUTERS/Florence Lo/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A staff member attends to customers inside a Tesla Model Y car at a showroom of the US electric vehicle (EV) maker in Beijing, China, Feb. 4, 2023. REUTERS/Florence Lo/File Photo

Tesla plans to design four new versions of its in-house battery to power the Cybertruck, its forthcoming robotaxi and other electric vehicles, the Information reported on Thursday, citing people with knowledge of its plans.

The Elon Musk-led firm currently sources most of its EV batteries from other companies, including Panasonic Energy and LG Energy but has been trying to ramp up production of its 4680 battery cells in the United States to lower costs and boost margins.

The development of the 4680 battery has been facing troubles, with the company losing 70% to 80% of the cathodes in test production compared with conventional battery makers, which lose fewer than 2% of their components to manufacturing defects, the report said.

Cathodes, a key part of the battery, helps in creating energy that propels an EV, Reuters reported.

The company has also been trying to scale production of dry-coated version of the 4680 cells but has been struggling with the speed at which they can make the batteries, Reuters had reported last year.

Tesla is planning to introduce the dry cathodes in Cybertruck batteries by the middle of next year, the Information report said, adding that the company plans to make between 2,000 and 3,000 Cybertrucks a week using the dry-coating technology.

By 2026, Tesla plans to introduce four versions of the 4680 that use the dry cathode, one of which, code-named NC05, will power the robotaxi, according to the report.

The EV maker is expected to unveil its long-awaited robotaxi product next week as it looks to shift its focus to AI-powered autonomous technology amid slowing demand for battery-powered cars.