iWorld
Airtel launches Google Assistant based Digital Customer Care
MUMBAI: Airtel smartphone customers will now able to get instant resolution to their frequent account related queries through the Google Assistant.
In yet another industry first, Airtel has collaborated with Google to truly simplify its customer service experience by integrating its customer care with the Artificial Intelligence-powered Google Assistant.
This new cutting-edge feature will allow customers to have rich conversational experiences with Airtel.
These features are right now available in English but going forward, Airtel will roll it out in multiple regional languages to help deliver an even more personalized experience to millions of Indians and encourage them to get online. Similarly, Airtel will continue to track what questions customer are asking and enable responses to them via Google Assistant, thus improving the flexibility and robustness of the Airtel voice Action.
The initiative is a part of Project Next- Airtel's digital innovation program, which is aimed at transforming customer experience across all of its services and touch points. Airtel plans to launch several exciting digital innovations to step change the simplicity and interactivity of its customer experience.
Sarang Kanade, Director- Customer Service Delivery, Bharti Airtel said: "As part of our digital transformation journey, this is another yet innovation to empower our customers. With smartphones fast becoming the norm for every Indian, this will make digital self-care much more interactive and step up the customer experience. We will continue to bring more of such exciting solutions for 'Digital India'."
What service related question can Airtel customers ask the Google Assistant?
How can Airtel customers use the Google Assistant?
1. Android Users – Long press the Home Button to launch Assistant. iOS Users – Ensure you have downloaded Google Assistant on your phone.
2. Speak into Assistant- "Talk to Airtel", "Ask Airtel" or "Get Airtel". Airtel assistant will open within Google Assistant.
3. TO get your account details, for the first time, the Airtel assistant will ask to link your Airtel account with Google.
4. If you click yes, you will be asked to enter your Mobile number, accept the Terms of Service.
Once you accept the Terms of service, you will receive an OTP. Enter the OTP to complete linking your account.
5. Get Started. Start asking your Airtel account related questions.
iWorld
Meta signs multiyear AI deal with News Corp
Agreement worth up to $50 million annually covers WSJ, New York Post and UK titles.
MUMBAI: Meta just bought itself a front-row seat to the newsroom because when AI needs facts, even Zuckerberg is willing to pay the subscription fee. Meta Platforms has signed a multiyear artificial intelligence content licensing agreement with News Corp that could be worth up to $50 million (£39 million) a year, The Wall Street Journal reported on 25 February 2026. The deal, expected to run for at least three years, grants Meta access to News Corp’s US and UK content including The Wall Street Journal and New York Post for training AI models and powering real-time information retrieval in its products.
Australian mastheads such as the Daily Telegraph and Herald Sun are not included. News Corp CEO Robert Thomson revealed the arrangement during a Morgan Stanley technology conference in San Francisco, describing news organisations as a vital “input company” in the AI ecosystem. “We’re essentially an input company,” he said. “The great threat in the age of AI is going to be to what you might call output companies.”
Thomson emphasised the value of reliable journalism as foundational infrastructure for AI systems, noting regular conversations with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg via Whatsapp and ongoing talks with OpenAI’s Sam Altman. He added that News Corp is in “advanced stage” negotiations for additional deals, promising further announcements soon.
The agreement follows News Corp’s 2024 five-year partnership with OpenAI (reportedly worth more than $250 million) and reflects Meta’s broader push to secure content licences. The company has already confirmed deals with People Inc, USA Today, CNN and Fox News, though financial terms remain undisclosed.
Publishers remain divided, some pursue partnerships for revenue, while others litigate. News Corp subsidiaries have sued Perplexity over copyright infringement, The New York Times is suing OpenAI and Microsoft, yet the same NYT struck a separate AI licensing deal with Amazon reportedly worth $20–25 million annually.
Thomson summed up the dual strategy as “woo or sue” seeking commercial agreements where possible, legal action when content is used without permission.
In an AI race where data is oxygen, Meta isn’t just training models, it’s buying the raw material for tomorrow’s answers, one headline at a time.
