Tech giant Google has fortified its cloud AI (Artificial Intelligence) capabilities by launching a new cloud region in Indonesia and acquiring Onward, an AI-based firm. With the new cloud zone, Google will offer a wide range of services like Cloud Spanner, Cloud SQL etc. to customers in the APAC (Asia Pacific) market, whereas with the acquisition they aim to simplify customer sentiments.
According to Google, cloud AI is the future of tech companies that leverage data, machine learning and IoT (Internet of Things) to reach business goals. They also claim that this route, though filled with heavy investments, starts bearing fruit after it is scaled as per the needs of cloud-native customers.
Google believe that Onward’s cloud AI clients leverage natural language processors through their chatbot platform to understand consumer sentiments. They say that this feature will be integrated into Google’s Contact Center AI to suggest solutions to common problems faced by customers.
A spokesperson for Onward commented:
We started Onward with the mission of allowing computers to participate in natural, human conversations. With Google, we’ll be able to expand the reach of the technologies that power Onward. These core technologies are what got us excited in the first place, and we are excited to bring them to Google.
While it may be a coincidence, Google also launched their eighth cloud zone in Indonesia to support businesses in the APAC region. They say that this cloud zone will help them improve capabilities for their customers to provide Cloud SQL, Cloud Spanner and Cloud BigTable services.
Richard Harshman, managing director for Asia Pacific and Japan, Google Cloud, confirmed:
Google just announced at the Google Cloud Summit Jakarta that it will open a new Google Cloud region in Indonesia. This will be our 8th Cloud region in the Asia Pacific. Excited to bring a Google Cloud region to Indonesia!
Business experts opine that Google is consolidating their stance in the cloud race which has competitors such as AWS, Azure, IBM and Oracle. With this announcement, the race has only intensified especially after AWS and Iridium launched CloudConnect to boost their AI and IoT prowess.