Google Adds SandboxAQ's Quantitative AI Models to Cloud Offerings

The logo of Google is seen outside Google Bay View facilities during the Made by Google event in Mountain View, California, US August 13, 2024. REUTERS/Manuel Orbegozo/File photo
The logo of Google is seen outside Google Bay View facilities during the Made by Google event in Mountain View, California, US August 13, 2024. REUTERS/Manuel Orbegozo/File photo
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Google Adds SandboxAQ's Quantitative AI Models to Cloud Offerings

The logo of Google is seen outside Google Bay View facilities during the Made by Google event in Mountain View, California, US August 13, 2024. REUTERS/Manuel Orbegozo/File photo
The logo of Google is seen outside Google Bay View facilities during the Made by Google event in Mountain View, California, US August 13, 2024. REUTERS/Manuel Orbegozo/File photo

Quantum startup SandboxAQ said its large quantitative models (LQMs) will be available on Google Cloud, the company told Reuters on Tuesday, as cloud providers look to AI tech to fuel growth.

LQMs are designed to handle large-scale numerical datasets, perform complex calculations and statistical analysis, and can be used to develop sophisticated financial models or to automate trading strategies.

The partnership will make it easier for enterprises to use Google Cloud to develop its LQMs and deploy them, allowing Sandbox, a firm spun off from Google-parent Alphabet in 2022, to expand the distribution of its platform to a larger pool of potential customers.

"More than 80% of the economy is run by math and quantitative relationships. And that's where quantitative AI really shines, and it's very complementary to language models," CEO SandboxAQ, Jack Hidary said.

This is the first time Sandbox will have its models available on a third-party platform.

The Palo Alto-based startup secured $300 million in a funding round last month, boosting its valuation to $5.6 billion and was backed by investor firms including Fred Alger Management, T. Rowe Price, and Breyer Capital.

SandboxAQ said its models are used in sectors such as life sciences, financial services and navigation.

Google has been intensifying its efforts in quantum computing and announced in December that it had made significant progress by developing a new generation of quantum chips, overcoming a major challenge in the field.

Microsoft also touted the potential of quantum computing earlier this month and unveiled its "Quantum Ready program", while Nvidia's CEO Jensen Huang said the technology's practical use was likely two decades away.



China’s Premier Li Proposes Global AI Cooperation Organization

Chinese Premier Li Qiang is seen on a screen as he speaks at the opening ceremony of the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai on July 26, 2025. (AFP)
Chinese Premier Li Qiang is seen on a screen as he speaks at the opening ceremony of the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai on July 26, 2025. (AFP)
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China’s Premier Li Proposes Global AI Cooperation Organization

Chinese Premier Li Qiang is seen on a screen as he speaks at the opening ceremony of the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai on July 26, 2025. (AFP)
Chinese Premier Li Qiang is seen on a screen as he speaks at the opening ceremony of the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai on July 26, 2025. (AFP)

Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Saturday proposed establishing an organization to foster global cooperation on artificial intelligence, calling on countries to coordinate on the development and security of the fast-evolving technology.

Speaking at the opening of the annual World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, Li called AI a new engine for growth but said governance is fragmented and emphasizing the need for more coordination between countries to form a globally recognized framework for AI.

The three-day event brings together industry leaders and policymakers at a time of escalating technological competition between China and the United States - the world's two largest economies - with AI emerging as a key battleground.

"Overall global AI governance is still fragmented. Countries have great differences particularly in terms of areas such as regulatory concepts, institutional rules," Li said. "We should strengthen coordination to form a global AI governance framework that has broad consensus as soon as possible."

Washington has imposed export restrictions on advanced technology to China, including the most high-end AI chips made by companies such as Nvidia and chipmaking equipment, citing concerns that the technology could enhance China's military capabilities.

Despite these restrictions, China has continued making AI breakthroughs that have drawn close scrutiny from US officials.

Li did not name the United States in his speech but he warned that AI could become an "exclusive game" for a few countries and companies, adding that challenges included an insufficient supply of AI chips and restrictions on talent exchange.

GOVERNANCE PLAN

China wants to share its development experience and products with other countries, especially those in the Global South, Li said.

Also on Saturday, China released an action plan for global AI governance, in which it invited governments, international organizations, enterprises and research institutions to work together and promote international exchanges including through a cross-border open-source community.

The plan proposes accelerating digital infrastructure such as clean power, new-generation networks and data centers, according to a statement from China's foreign ministry.

The AI conference is an annual government-sponsored event in Shanghai that typically attracts major industry players, government officials, researchers and investors.

Saturday's speakers included Anne Bouverot, the French president's special envoy for AI, computer scientist Geoffrey Hinton, known as "the Godfather of AI", and former Google CEO Eric Schmidt.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who has in past years regularly appeared at the opening ceremony in person or by video, did not speak this year.

Besides forums, the conference features exhibitions where companies demonstrate their latest innovations.

This year, more than 800 companies are participating, showcasing more than 3,000 high-tech products, 40 large language models, 50 AI-powered devices and 60 intelligent robots, according to organizers.

The exhibition features predominantly Chinese companies, including tech giants Huawei and Alibaba and startups such as humanoid robot maker Unitree. Western participants include Tesla, Alphabet and Amazon.