Alphabet Inc.

What does Alphabet own?
Alphabet owns Google and its products including Search, YouTube, Android, Chrome, Gmail, Google Maps, Google Cloud, Google Workspace, Pixel hardware, and Nest. It also owns Waymo, Verily, and other early-stage ventures under the Other Bets umbrella. The Gemini AI platform is developed by Google DeepMind, an Alphabet subsidiary.

Is Alphabet publicly traded?
Yes. Alphabet trades on NASDAQ under GOOGL (Class A, one vote per share) and GOOG (Class C, no votes). The company has been publicly traded since Google's IPO in August 2004.

Who founded Alphabet?
Alphabet was formed in 2015 through a restructuring of Google, which was founded in 1998 by Larry Page and Sergey Brin at Stanford University. Sundar Pichai has served as CEO of both Alphabet and Google since December 2019.

Where is Alphabet headquartered?
Alphabet is headquartered in Mountain View, California, at the Googleplex campus. The company has major offices in New York, London, Dublin, Singapore, and dozens of other cities globally.

Who owns Alphabet?
Alphabet has no single controlling shareholder economically, but co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin hold Class B shares with 10 votes per share, giving them effective voting control. Institutional investors including Vanguard, BlackRock, and State Street are among the largest economic shareholders.

What is Alphabet's revenue?
Alphabet reported full-year 2025 revenues exceeding $400 billion for the first time. Q4 2025 revenue was $113.8 billion, up 18% year over year, with net income of $34.46 billion. Google Cloud Q4 2025 revenue was $17.66 billion, up 48% year over year.

What antitrust cases is Google facing?
In August 2024, a U.S. federal judge ruled that Google illegally monopolized internet search through exclusive default search agreements. Remedies proceedings were ongoing as of February 2026. A separate DOJ case targeting Google's advertising technology business concluded trial in late 2024. The EU has imposed multiple antitrust fines and the Digital Markets Act imposes ongoing obligations on Google as a designated gatekeeper.

What is Waymo?
Waymo is Alphabet's autonomous vehicle subsidiary, operating a fully driverless ride-hailing service in multiple U.S. cities. Waymo completed over 20 million fully autonomous trips through 2025 and expanded to Miami in January 2026. Waymo raised a funding round in 2025 at a $16 billion valuation.

Google was founded in September 1998 by Larry Page and Sergey Brin, then Ph.D. students at Stanford University. Their PageRank algorithm produced search results substantially more relevant than competing engines. The company launched AdWords in 2000, acquired Android in 2005, YouTube in 2006 for $1.65 billion, and DoubleClick in 2008 for $3.1 billion. Gmail launched in 2004, Google Maps in 2005, and Chrome in 2008. Google acquired DeepMind in 2014 for approximately $500 million, positioning itself at the forefront of AI research.

On August 10, 2015, Google restructured into Alphabet Inc. as a holding company. Larry Page became CEO of Alphabet, Sergey Brin became President, and Sundar Pichai became CEO of Google. The restructuring separated Google's core internet businesses from longer-term projects including Waymo, Verily, and Calico. In December 2019, Page and Brin stepped down from executive roles, with Pichai becoming CEO of both Alphabet and Google.

The launch of ChatGPT by OpenAI in November 2022 accelerated Alphabet's AI product development. Gemini 1.0 launched in December 2023, followed by Gemini 1.5 in 2024 and Gemini 3 in December 2025. The Gemini app reached over 750 million monthly active users following the Gemini 3 launch. For full-year 2025, Alphabet reported revenues exceeding $400 billion for the first time, with Q4 2025 revenue of $113.8 billion, up 18% year over year, and net income of $34.46 billion, up approximately 30% year over year. Alphabet announced 2026 capital expenditures of $175 to $185 billion, nearly double its 2025 spending, to support AI infrastructure.

Alphabet has implemented comprehensive sustainability initiatives focused on environmental responsibility, ethical AI development, and social impact across its global operations. The company is a signatory to the Science Based Targets initiative and has committed to achieving carbon neutrality for its operations and supply chain by 2030.

The company's environmental strategy centers on operating its data centers and offices on carbon-free energy 24/7 by 2030. Google has already achieved this milestone for several data centers and is investing in renewable energy projects worldwide. In 2024, Google matched 100% of its electricity consumption with renewable energy purchases and has committed to running all data centers and campuses on carbon-free energy by 2030.

For water stewardship, Alphabet has implemented water replenishment programs that return more water to communities than consumed by its operations. The company has also focused on sustainable hardware design, using recycled materials in Google Pixel devices and designing products for longevity and repairability.

In ethical AI development, Google has established comprehensive AI principles focusing on fairness, transparency, accountability, and safety. The company has implemented AI ethics review processes, bias mitigation techniques, and responsible AI development practices across its products including Gemini, Search, and Cloud AI services. Google also maintains privacy protection measures and data governance frameworks.

Alphabet has achieved recognition for its sustainability leadership, including consistent inclusion in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index and CDP climate leadership ratings. The company publishes annual environmental reports detailing its carbon footprint, renewable energy usage, water consumption, and sustainability progress.

Alphabet and its Google subsidiary have received consistent recognition for innovation, workplace excellence, and corporate leadership across multiple categories.

• Fortune World's Most Admired Companies: Google has consistently ranked among the top companies in the Internet Services and Retailing category, reflecting peer and analyst respect for operational excellence and innovation.
• Fast Company Most Innovative Companies: Multiple awards for breakthrough technologies including quantum computing, AI research, and autonomous vehicle development through Waymo.
• Great Place to Work: Google has been consistently recognized as one of the best places to work globally, reflecting its workplace culture, benefits, and employee satisfaction.
• Webby Awards: Multiple awards for website design, user experience, and digital innovation across Google products and services.
• AI Industry Recognition: Leadership awards for artificial intelligence research and development, including recognition for Gemini AI platform and Google Cloud AI services.
• Environmental Leadership: Awards for sustainability initiatives, renewable energy procurement, and carbon neutrality commitments.

The company's performance has been noted by industry analysts for its ability to maintain innovation leadership while scaling operations to serve billions of users globally.

Alphabet has faced significant regulatory scrutiny and controversies throughout 2025, primarily concerning antitrust violations, data privacy, and market dominance concerns. The company has been involved in multiple major antitrust cases across different jurisdictions while continuing to expand its technology platforms and services.

Alphabet has not experienced major product recalls comparable to those affecting hardware companies, as its business model primarily focuses on software and digital services. The company maintains comprehensive quality assurance programs for its hardware products including Pixel smartphones, Nest devices, and Waymo autonomous vehicles, working closely with regulatory agencies when issues arise.

The company has faced extensive antitrust scrutiny, with a U.S. federal judge ruling in August 2024 that Google illegally maintained a monopoly in internet search through exclusive agreements. The Department of Justice has sought structural remedies including potential divestiture of Chrome browser, with remedies proceedings ongoing as of February 2026.

Alphabet has faced criticism regarding data privacy practices, particularly concerning Google's collection and use of user data across its search, advertising, and location services. The company has implemented privacy programs and compliance measures but continues to face regulatory scrutiny in multiple jurisdictions.

The company has been involved in controversies related to content moderation and censorship across YouTube, Google Search, and other platforms, particularly concerning hate speech, misinformation, and political content. Alphabet has developed content policies and moderation systems but faces ongoing challenges balancing free expression with content regulation.

Alphabet has faced scrutiny regarding its AI development practices, particularly concerning bias in AI systems, transparency in AI decision-making, and the potential societal impact of advanced AI technologies like Gemini. The company has established AI ethics guidelines and oversight programs.

In August 2024, a U.S. federal judge ruled that Google illegally maintained a monopoly in internet search through exclusive default search agreements with device manufacturers and browser developers. A remedies phase was ongoing as of February 2026, with the DOJ seeking structural remedies including a potential forced divestiture of Chrome. Google appealed. The DOJ also pursued a separate antitrust case against Google's advertising technology business; a trial concluded in late 2024. In the EU, Google has faced multiple antitrust fines totaling billions of euros, and the Digital Markets Act imposed additional obligations on Google as a designated gatekeeper beginning in 2024.