The company has expanded its partnership with Google beyond $1 billion, covering AI, cloud, cybersecurity, content, and devices. Its 10-year agreement covers 15 Vodafone markets and 45 partner markets across Europe and Africa and includes initiatives in search and advertising that recall the earlier successes of Google.
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Nucleus and Dynamo at the Core
The core of that partnership will be Nucleus, the massive data lake Vodafone and Google have been building together since 2021. Supporting Dynamo, Vodafone’s data analytics platform, Nucleus provides insights into developing better customer experiences for both consumers and enterprises. With this new agreement, the platform will now integrate Google’s Vertex AI and Gemini large language model (LLM), so machine learning innovation makes it easier for Vodafone to roll out new products around the world.
Vodafone Expands Google’s Reach
In addition to developing marketing and sales of Pixel and Android products throughout Europe, Vodafone will collaborate on the partnership. By 2025, YouTube subscriptions and Google One AI Premium will be available in some regions to customers. It also aims to upgrade its set-top boxes with Google Generative AI for rich content search and recommendations. On the other hand, future advertising solutions will be powered by Google Ad Manager.
Read Also: Google Destroying Its Search Engine: And Why
Collaborative Cybersecurity Initiatives
Vodafone and Google will collaborate in developing a cloud-native cybersecurity solution based on the Google Cloud’s Security Operations platform. The new solution will bring in state-of-the-art capabilities for managing incidents and providing security to Vodafone’s customers, whereas Vodafone’s products and services will be configured to incorporate built-in cybersecurity capabilities powered by Google tools.
AI Transformation in Europe and Africa
He emphasized that the collaboration brings AI-powered content and devices to millions of consumers, changing the way people learn, create, communicate, and consume entertainment. Google CEO Sundar Pichai also “tweeted” in a similar vein, indicating the partnership will give Vodafone’s markets across Europe and Africa the power of Google’s most advanced AI technologies – including the Gemini models.
Merger of the Microsoft Partnership
This deal comes after Vodafone announced a $1.5 billion, 10-year tie-up with Microsoft whose objective it says is “to strengthen Vodafone’s position in AI, cloud services, and digital transformation.” Like both partnerships, it is another step in the journey to innovation but with careful management will have to gel together for them to easily benefit the operations of Vodafone and offer more to its customers.
