MAM
Google acquires DeepMind; also inks patent deal with Samsung
MUMBAI: The media was abuzz with Google acquiring the artificial intelligence start-up DeepMind for $400 million on Monday. However, today, what followed was the announcement of a patent alliance between the internet giant’s Google and Samsung. The alliance will cover a broad range of technologies and business areas and will take care of the companies’ existing patents and also those filed in the next ten years.
“We’re pleased to enter into a cross-license with our partner Samsung,” said Google Deputy General Counsel for Patents Allen Lo in a statement. “By working together on agreements like this, companies can reduce the potential for litigation and focus instead on innovation.”
The companies haven’t disclosed the terms of the agreement but with this agreement, the two companies gain access to each other’s industry-leading patent portfolios, paving the way for deeper collaboration on research and development of current and future products and technologies.
“This agreement with Google is highly significant for the technology industry,” said Head of Samsung’s Intellectual Property Center Dr. Seungho Ahn. “Samsung and Google are showing the rest of the industry that there is more to gain from cooperating than engaging in unnecessary patent disputes.”
As far as the DeepMind acquisition is concerned, the start-up has the best techniques from machine learning and systems neuroscience to build powerful general-purpose learning algorithms.
Brands
ConfirmTkt rolls out 1 per cent cashback for summer train trips
Unlimited wallet rewards valid till 31 May boost holiday travel
GURUGRAM: ConfirmTkt has announced a limited period 1 per cent cashback offer aimed at making summer train travel a little lighter on the wallet.
The authorised B2C online train ticketing platform, part of the Ixigo Group, will credit 1 per cent cashback directly into users’ ConfirmTkt Wallet for every train ticket booked through its app. The offer runs until 31 May 2026, neatly covering the peak summer holiday rush.
There is no cap on how much cashback users can earn during the offer window. The credited amount can be redeemed on the next train booking within 90 days, making it particularly useful for families planning return journeys, students heading home for the holidays, or travellers ticking off multiple destinations in one season.
Importantly, the process is automatic. Cashback is credited after booking, with no codes to enter and no hoops to jump through, keeping the reward simple and seamless.
Ixigo Trains and ConfirmTkt CEO Dinesh Kumar Kotha, said summer remains one of the busiest travel seasons in India, as families, students and professionals take to the rails to reconnect and explore. He noted that by keeping the cashback uncapped and redemption straightforward, the company aims to help travellers extract greater value from both outbound and return trips during this high demand period.
Beyond the seasonal offer, ConfirmTkt continues to position itself as a tech driven, customer first platform. Its features include high accuracy waitlist prediction, nearby trains and alternate travel plan suggestions when seats are scarce, live train status updates, seamless PNR tracking, instant refunds, seat availability alerts and UPI enabled payments. Users can also order food on train for delivery to their seats at selected stations.
Taken together, the platform’s tools are designed to reduce uncertainty and add a layer of reassurance to rail journeys. With this summer cashback in play, ConfirmTkt is not just helping travellers book tickets, but giving them a small return ticket on their spending too.
