Fears that Google would lose the AI race have proved unfounded but it is less dependent on the technology than some rivals. Photograph: Michael Santiago/GettyFears that Google would lose the AI race have well and truly been overturned, as evidenced by parent company Alphabet’s march to a $4 trillion valuation. However, while Nvidia’s fortunes are tightly bound to the AI investment cycle, Google remains a diversified cash-generating machine. That’s one reason why Big Short investor and AI sceptic Michael Burry is betting against Nvidia but not Alphabet. Alphabet may not need to dominate the AI race to justify its place near the top of the market.

Source: The Irish Times January 17, 2026 13:31 UTC