Vodafone and Google have announced a 10-year strategic expansion of their existing partnership that will allow Vodafone to bring new AI-powered services, content, devices and TV experiences to customers across Europe and Africa. These will leverage Google’s technology (across devices, cloud, storage, cybersecurity and AI). Vodafone will also offer Google One AI Premium subscription plans, which include Gemini Advanced, in select countries by 2025. Meanwhile, Google will use Vodafone’s fixed and mobile connectivity services to improve workforce productivity.
The wide range of services and capabilities included in the deal speaks to the growing integration of digital technologies in the emerging AI era. The announcement also confirms that using AI to enhance customer experience is top of the agenda for operators, and (more broadly) enterprises undertaking digital transformation. This is a trend confirmed by the GSMA Intelligence Global Digital Transformation Survey 2024 (to be released in early November). Almost 90% of the 4,000 enterprises surveyed rated customer experience as a very important AI business impact area.