Google & Orange Alliance To Develop AI

French telecoms giant Orange has partnered with Google to research and deploy technologies such as edge computing.

Both companies are heavyweights within their respective industries. Orange brings expertise in telecommunications, while Google brings its experience in fields like AI to the partnership.

Orange believes that the partnership will help the company to achieve its Engage 2025 plan which aims to drive transformation through widespread use of AI and data to improve operational efficiency and the customer experience.

A joint Innovation Lab and Center of Excellence will be established to pursue these goals:

• The Innovation Lab will enable new industry solution development based on data and AI within the broader framework of the evolving 5G / edge computing ecosystem.
• The Center of Excellence will provide Google Cloud support for Orange France and other Orange affiliates as they engage in their cloud transformation. The center will provide training in data, AI and cloud services for several thousand Orange employees.

Orange says that the partnership will bring powerful cloud capabilities to the edge of the network, such as in retail, gaming, and other industries. The portfolio of Orange Business Services will also be strengthened through harnessing Google’s powerful cloud-based capabilities, such as analytics.

Stéphane Richard, Chairman and CEO of Orange, said:

“Orange is a pioneer of digital transformation and is pleased to partner with Google to accelerate its data and AI transformation and continue towards a better service for its customers.

Google has been a long term partner of Orange and, as Google is eager to invest in Europe to develop new datacenters, this is the perfect time to work on new services and opportunities in French and European markets.”

Google has substantially increased its investment across Europe in recent years. The company’s new £1 billion headquarters set to open in London has been described as a “landscraper” (due to it being as long as The Shard is tall) with a huge rooftop garden, swimming pool, and running track. This week, Google also announced a new undersea cable which links the UK and Spain with the US.