Microsoft, Google back Paris cyber pledge on hacks

The conversational service, introduced as Bard, comes after rival Microsoft announced it was investing in ChatGPT. Google said Bard would be integrated into its search engine.

Microsoft says it is revamping its Bing search engine and Edge web browser with artificial intelligence akin to ChatGPT, in the hopes of making inroads into Google's dominance of online searches.

The proposed deal would be the largest in tech industry history, handing popular franchises Call of Duty, World of Warcraft and Candy Crash to Microsoft.

Microsoft has been trying to buy the game company Activision Blizzard with hits like "Call of Duty" since early 2022. But british antitrust regulators have blocked the deal.

Alphabet's Google is rolling out more artificial intelligence for its core search product, hoping to create some of the same consumer excitement generated by Microsoft's update to rival search engine Bing in recent months.

Google will begin using its AI chatbot in its search engine, as it seeks to catch up with rivals in the fast-growing sector. The announcement came on the eve of a European vote on new regulations for artificial intelligence. Also in the show: US inflation drops below 5 percent for the first time in two years, and French drivers accuse petrol distributors of raking in the profits from unfair prices.

Brazil's Supreme Court ordered the investigation into Google and Telegram executives after the firms campaigned against a bill that would curtail online disinformation.

European regulators have approved Microsoft's $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, handing the technology giant a victory at a time when the deal is being challenged in other countries.

Arguing for their "right to be forgotten," a couple in finance had sought to have content critical of them delisted from Google. The court said Google must do so only if content is proven false.

China said claims it was behind hacking attacks targeting US infrastructure networks were part of a "disinformation campaign."

Microsoft has been fighting to close a deal to buy Call of Duty game maker Activision for $69 billion, but has faced worldwide scrutiny over concerns that the deal could stifle competition in cloud gaming.

Alphabet's Google was charged by EU antitrust regulators with anti-competitive practices in its digital advertising business on Wednesday and may now have to sell part of its operations to address their concerns.