- Google reveals new AI initiatives including expansion
- Chirp 3 also comes to Vertex AI
- Follows Google’s $ 1 billion obligation to build a new data center in 2025
Google has announced the expansion of British data stays for Agentspace that offers extra security by allowing UK companies to store their information locally.
In a speech at the launch of its Deepminds London HQ, Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian outlined the possibilities that Google’s UK Data Residency Extension brings to organizations using Agentspace.
“It is an important element to give companies confidence that they can use our systems and their data will be private for their own use and that they have full control to keep the data where they need them,” he noted.
AgentSpace Inclusion
The existing data stay program in the UK allows Google Cloud users and customers to perform machine learning for Gemini 1.5 Flash, but Google has strengthened its commitment to UK AI by expanding this to include AgentSpace.
“Recognizes Britain’s importance, we already have a cloud region here,” Kurian added. “We are expanding our program with a new data center on a large scale, and we host these solutions and models here in the UK, so you can store your data in the country and meet rules to train and serve models right here.”
Agentspace is a business-specific AI agent platform that combines Gemini AI, Google search and company data all in one place, using emails, documents, tables and even third-party services such as Confluence and ServiceNow within a multi-model-search agent, designed to answer complex questions and increase productivity.
That’s why its data stay is “super important”, said BT Group CEO, Allison Kirkby, who praises the speed for offering “a little more sovereignty and protection” for British users.
“Because our overall mission as a company must be the most reliable plug of people, business and communities. And given the world we live in, you have definitely customers who want to ensure that their data is secure and secure, and it is on platforms that are encrypted in the right way with the right people who handle them ””
Skill investments
The news follows Google’s $ 1 billion obligation to build a new data center to open later in 2025.
This comes along with significant investments in skills and training initiatives and a Google Cloud start -up program offering up to £ 280,000 to AI startups across the country -all of a Google’s reinforced obligation to the British market.
Google seeks to expand AI skills initiatives in the UK after training over a million students, educators and developers in the last ten years. This includes 35 free skills boost credits per Month for the Google Cloud Skills Boost program focusing on generative AI in the workplace.
When they were polleted, over half of Techradar Pro Readers (54%) said they use AI daily in their work, with an additional 22% say they use AI tools at least once or twice a week. This outlines how important AI security and skill training is, especially given only 17% of the respondents told us that they never use AI at work. If you want to look at our polls or participate in the next one can do so by signing up for our WhatsApp here.
“We invest a lot in startups,” Kurian said. “For example, smaller companies that use models to run the business. There are a whole series of these that we make. We have programs at universities to teach computer science programs on how to use models as part of their work. There is a wide range of things. “
Over 60% of startups in the UK are already working with Google Cloud, and “Gemini for the UK” event confirmed cloud credits to British startups along with technical resources and training. These startups will also get a community of Google Cloud experts as well as investors, partners and other startups.
Chirp 3
Also advertised at Google’s event was the introduction of Chirp 3 on Vertex AI – a sound generation model, available in 31 different languages. This ‘groundbreaking’ model will offer 248 different votes and eight speaker settings with detailed speech functionality that “catches the nuances of human intonation.”
Although impressive, this raises some questions about its potential for harm. Chirp3 is currently coming with significant restrictions to mitigate the risk of abuse but Google is: “Works through some of these things with [our] Security team, ”Kurian confirms.
Deepfake AI calls have been increasing thanks to the promotion of similar technologies, and although AI is often used in threat detection, available tools such as these lower barriers to cyber criminals who want to emulate trusted figures to trick victims to provide personal or financial information.
Researchers recently hijacked AI agents to write and send phishing -e emails to them, proving that AI agents and tools can be a useful accessory for Cyberattackers -so Google will have to make sure stringed protection and security checks are in place.
