Google Cloud is having quite a moment. The division posted a staggering 35% growth last quarter, bringing in $11.4 billion in revenue. But here's the really interesting part – their operating income jumped from $266 million to $1.95 billion. That's not just growth; that's a complete transformation in how profitable this business is becoming.

Google's been busy building data centers across the globe, pumping $1 billion into Saudi Arabia and $2 billion into Malaysia. They're also partnering with some big names like Walmart, Ford, and CVS to help these companies build their AI capabilities.

What's particularly exciting is how they're combining cloud infrastructure with AI capabilities – they're using their own AI chips developed with Broadcom to reduce costs and processing times, giving them a significant competitive edge.

Remember when everyone thought Google was falling behind in AI? Well, that narrative's changing fast. Their Gemini 2.0 model, released in December, got some seriously positive reviews.

What makes this interesting is how Google's approaching AI differently than others – they're processing more AI tasks directly on devices rather than in the cloud, which could mean better privacy and lower costs.

Google's DeepMind, the folks who originally developed the transformer technology that powers most modern AI, is showing they've still got plenty of tricks up their sleeve. They're not just keeping up in the AI race; they're starting to lead in some areas.

Here's something most people aren't talking about: Google just announced a breakthrough in quantum computing with their new Willow processor. It's doing calculations in minutes that would take today's fastest supercomputers billions of years. While this might sound like sci-fi, it could be a game-changer for everything from drug discovery to climate modeling.

Meanwhile, Waymo, their self-driving car business, is quietly expanding. They've already got robotaxis running in Phoenix, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, with plans for Austin and Atlanta in 2025. In San Francisco, they're already matching Lyft's market share – pretty impressive for a service that drives itself.