Highlights:

  • Google Cloud’s new cloud portfolio includes a new data cloud architecture to help organizations better understand their data and automate core processes.
  • Google also announced five new Google Cloud regions: Austria, Greece, Norway, South Africa, and Sweden.

Google’s Cloud Next 2022 event started with news about new products and partnerships. Google wants to make the most open, extensible, and reliable data cloud so that companies can use their data from all sources, storage formats, and analytics styles across cloud providers and platforms of their choice.

The company also announced a new set of apps and services to help more data professionals use Google AI (artificial intelligence).

A year that changed everything for Cloud

During the opening keynote, Thomas Kurian, the CEO of Google Cloud, said that this year’s event is happening at a turning point in the cloud industry.

Kurian said, “Data and artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming everything around us, and open, connected ecosystems are essential to everything we do. We are proud to announce cloud innovations that help businesses embrace openness and interoperability and celebrate the incredible achievements of our customers and partners.”

Google Cloud released about 1,300 new products and features in the first half of 2022.

Kurian said, “Seventy percent of the top unicorns worldwide run-on Google Cloud. So, keeping the same in mind, our major focus this year will be to aid workload-optimized infrastructures.”

Google Cloud’s new cloud portfolio includes a new data cloud architecture to help organizations better understand their data and automate core processes. It also has an open infrastructure cloud that can be used to update old information systems and build reliable, scalable new apps.

Google also has a new product called “trusted cloud,” which protects users, apps, and data from growing cyber threats. The company also released a collaboration cloud that will make it easier to communicate and work together in a modern, safe way.

Google also announced five new Google Cloud regions: Austria, Greece, Norway, South Africa, and Sweden. This makes a total of 48 live and announced regions that serve customers in more than 200 countries and territories.

The metaverse and Web3

During its annual event, the company also talked about its plans for the metaverse and Web3. This included a partnership with the cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase, which has chosen Google Cloud to build an advanced exchange and data service.

Project Starline, which is Google’s metaverse architecture, can generate a 3D model of a person for the metaverse giving a feel like they are in the same room. Soon, enterprise partners will be able to get an early access program to test the next part of the model. Starting this year, Google Cloud will put units in certain partner offices for regular testing to see how Project Starline can help people connect from anywhere in the world.

Its strategic partnership with Coinbase is meant to support the growing Web3 ecosystem, making it easier for customers to gain advantages of Google Cloud’s scalability, reliability, security, and data services so that Web3 founders and developers can focus on new ideas.