A security researcher has discovered a bug that could be exploited to reveal the private recovery phone number of almost any Google account without alerting its owner, potentially exposing users to privacy and security risks. Google confirmed to TechCrunch that it fixed the bug after the researcher alerted the company in April.  The independent researcher, who goes by the handle brutecat and blogged their findings, told TechCrunch that they could obtain the recovery phone number of a Google account by expl ...

Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOGL) is facing some investor anxiety as multiple Waymo self-driving cars were attacked during protests in Los Angeles over the weekend. An Alphabet subsidiary, Waymo has been considered an important piece in the company’s future growth strategy, so public relations setbacks could result in short-term volatility and monetary losses, as Each Waymo vehicle costs between $100,000 and $200,000.California is also one of the company’s key predicted markets. For instance, Waymo covers around 20% ...

Core Viewpoint - The National Healthcare Security Administration (NHSA) has implemented a drug traceability code scanning service via WeChat, in collaboration with Tencent, to enhance drug safety and combat fraud in the pharmaceutical sector [1][2]. Group 1: Drug Traceability Implementation - The NHSA is advancing strict regulation through the use of drug traceability codes to combat fraud and illegal activities in the pharmaceutical field, including the crackdown on "returned drugs" and "swapped drugs" [2]. - Users can verify drug sales records and obtain information on indications, usage, and dosage through WeChat's "Scan" feature, ensuring safe medication practices [1][3]. Group 2: User Experience and Features - The WeChat "Scan" feature allows users to check the sales records of both prescription and OTC drugs purchased from pharmacies, providing a comprehensive verification of drug sources [3]. - Users can receive one of three possible results when scanning a drug traceability code: no sales information found, one valid sales record, or multiple sales records indicating potential illegal activities [5]. - Starting July 1, 2023, designated medical institutions must scan codes for drug sales to settle insurance funds, with full implementation required by January 1, 2026, ensuring all drug transactions are traceable [5]. Group 3: Additional Services - The Tencent Health Box offers intelligent medication reminders, allowing users to set reminders for multiple medications, track interactions, and visualize their medication history, particularly beneficial for chronic disease patients [7].

Core Insights - The artificial intelligence (AI) boom is ongoing, with executive teams eager to leverage the technology while employees express concerns about job impacts. Investors are actively seeking profitable opportunities in this trend [1] Group 1: Company Overview - Alphabet has been a pioneer in AI, transitioning from a mobile-first to an AI-first approach as early as 2015, showcasing its foresight in the tech landscape [3] - The company has utilized machine learning since 2001, indicating a long-standing commitment to AI technology [4] - Recent advancements include AI applications in various platforms such as Search, Maps, and YouTube, enhancing user experience [5] Group 2: AI Developments - Alphabet announced the upcoming release of Agent Mode, which can perform complex, multistep tasks, further demonstrating its commitment to AI innovation [6] - Google Cloud is positioned as a significant growth market, especially as companies increasingly integrate AI into their operations [7] Group 3: Financial Performance - In Q1 2025, 74% of Alphabet's revenue, amounting to $67 billion, was derived from digital advertising, with AI playing a crucial role in automating ad campaigns [8] - Despite capital expenditures of $53 billion in 2024, Alphabet generated $73 billion in free cash flow, indicating strong financial health [10] - The current valuation shows shares trading at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 17.5, representing a 22% discount to the S&P 500, making it an attractive investment opportunity [11]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Alphabet experienced continued double-digit revenue growth in its Search business during the first quarter of 2025 [16] - The company reported significant growth in its Cloud segment, with enterprise usage on Vertex AI increasing more than 40 times [20] - YouTube surpassed 270 million paid subscriptions, contributing to its revenue growth [16] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Search business showed strong performance with double-digit revenue growth [16] - Cloud services are rapidly expanding, with leadership in infrastructure and AI agents [16] - YouTube celebrated its 20th anniversary and claimed the top TV viewing spot for three consecutive months [16] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - In major markets like the U.S. and India, AI Overviews in Search are driving over 10% growth in query types [21] - The Gemini app has over 400 million monthly active users, indicating strong market adoption [20] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on AI-first product innovation, integrating AI into core products and expanding its cloud business [15][16] - Alphabet is committed to responsible AI development, emphasizing privacy, safety, and risk assessments [12] - The introduction of AI Ultra subscription plan aims to provide users with access to advanced AI models and features [16] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in navigating the evolving technological landscape and creating value for shareholders [13] - The board is pleased with Alphabet's leadership in AI and its ability to deliver real-world benefits to users [10] - The company is excited about the future of AI and its potential to drive innovation across various sectors [27] Other Important Information - Alphabet's infrastructure improvements, including the new Ironwood TPU, are expected to enhance AI performance significantly [19] - The company is actively working on projects like Firesat for wildfire insights and expanding Waymo's ride-sharing services [26] Q&A Session Summary Question: What is the company's approach to AI development? - The company is focused on responsible AI development with stringent privacy and safety policies in place [12] Question: How is Alphabet addressing climate goals? - The company has set ambitious targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and is committed to transparency in its climate progress [56] Question: What measures are being taken to ensure child safety online? - Alphabet has published a legislative framework for child safety but faces scrutiny over its lobbying activities against child safety legislation [96][97]

Core Insights - Alphabet (GOOGL) is experiencing a decline in its search engine market dominance due to the rise of Generative AI applications and competition from other search engines [1][5] Market Share and Competition - As of May 2025, Google holds a market share of 89.54%, with Bing and Baidu at 4% and 0.69% respectively, marking Google's lowest market share in two decades [2] - Microsoft is enhancing Bing's capabilities through AI integration, including the introduction of Copilot Search and Bing Video Creator [5] - Baidu is also improving its search engine with self-developed ERNIE models, including the recent launch of ERNIE 4.5 and ERNIE X1 [6] AI Innovations and User Engagement - Alphabet is implementing AI innovations to regain market share, with AI Overviews driving over a 10% increase in usage for relevant queries in major markets like India and the U.S. [3] - AI Overviews are currently utilized by more than 1.5 billion users monthly [3] - Circle to Search has been a significant factor in increasing user engagement, available on 250 million devices with a 40% usage increase in Q1 2025 [4] Financial Performance and Valuation - Alphabet's shares have decreased by 11.2% year-to-date, underperforming the broader technology sector and internet services industry [7] - The forward 12-month Price/Sales ratio for Alphabet is 6.03X, compared to the industry average of 5.05X, indicating a premium valuation [11] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Q2 2025 earnings is $2.12 per share, reflecting a 12.17% year-over-year growth, while the estimate for 2025 earnings is $9.47 per share, suggesting a 17.79% year-over-year growth [14]

Key Takeaways The Trade Desk has fallen 47.2% in six months, sharply underperforming peers and broader indices. Macroeconomic uncertainty, rising costs, and fierce competition are weighing on TTD's growth prospects. TTD's high valuation and weak international presence limit upside amid declining investor confidence.The Trade Desk (TTD) shares have plunged 47.2% in the past six months, raising tough questions about its near-term trajectory. Though volatility has affected broader indices in the past couple ...

Group 1 - The article discusses the valuation of Google's Search business as a separate entity, suggesting it may be undervalued compared to the rest of the company [1] - The Pragmatic Investor focuses on global macro trends, international equities, commodities, technology, and cryptocurrencies, aiming to guide investors in building diversified portfolios [1] - James Foord, an economist with a decade of experience in global market analysis, leads The Pragmatic Investor, emphasizing wealth preservation and growth [1]

Akamai (AKAM) FY Conference June 05, 2025 11:40 AM ET Speaker0 Excellent. Hello, everyone, and thank you for joining us for our Growth Stock Conference and today's session with Akamai. My name is Jonathan Hoenn. I'm the cybersecurity analyst for William Blair and Company. Our speaker today is Ed McGowan, who is the chief financial officer of the company and has been with Akamai and is with Akamai. Before we begin, I'm required to inform you that a complete list of research disclosures or conflicts of intere ...

Cloudflare (NET) FY 2025 Annual General Meeting June 05, 2025 11:30 AM ET Speaker0 directors. Thank you for attending today's meeting. With me are the following members of our management team. Michelle Zatlin, our cofounder, president, and cochair of the board of directors Thomas Seifert, our chief financial officer Doug Kramer, our chief legal officer and secretary and Phil Winslow, our vice president of strategic finance, investor relations, and treasury. We also have a representative from KPMG, our indep ...