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Google encouraging partners to embrace generative AI
Cloud giant unveils a number of partner programme enhancements as it looks to support more of a push into artificial intelligence
Google has unveiled a number of partner programme updates designed to reward and encourage those that line up behind its current areas of focus.
The firm has used the backdrop of its Google Next event in London to share details of updates coming in 2024 that should see the channel, particularly system integrators and independent software vendors, given more support and funding.
Chief among the areas that will be backed by Google is the firm’s generative AI partner initiative, with the cloud giant sharing a fresh wave of names that have signed up, including Accenture, Automation Anywhere, BCG, Capgemini, Deloitte and Wipro.
At the same time, Crayon has also signalled it is working more closely with Google on the AI front, and will be offering the technology through its centres of excellence in Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East and Africa.
“Our customers and partners increasingly see the need for using generative AI to provide better services and solutions,” said said Crayon CEO Melissa Mulholland. “With our AI Centers of Excellence, we have the capabilities to help companies explore their own data and use it to accelerate their business. Google Cloud is a great partner to help customers get the best data and AI experience.
“Crayon’s long-time experience in digital transformation, its AI Centers of Excellence and deepening of its expertise on Google Cloud will help global business more quickly adopt and see value from AI,” said Bron Hastings, vice-president of partnerships at Google Cloud. “Through this new and growing partnership, we will work together to accelerate customers’ AI-driven transformations with Google Cloud technology, models via Vertex AI and expert services from Crayon.”
Google’s other announcements include increasing the number of partners that had earned its Google Cloud Ready – Sustainability designation. The firm also introduced a fresh expertise designation, Google SecOps Services Delivery Expertise, for channel players that get customers into its Chronicle SIEM or SOAR service.
Commitment to partners
Hastings and Helen Kelisky, managing director for UK and Ireland at Google Cloud, penned a joint blog outlining the enhancements and the supplier’s commitment to partners.
“Google Cloud is a partner-led business,” they wrote. “Our global partners have an opportunity to help customers create new value with AI technologies like Duet AI and Vertex AI, in critical areas like data modernisation and cloud migrations, and to augment their own products and platforms with Google Cloud gen AI.
“Coming into 2024, the total amount of incentives and rewards available for our partners are increasing in order to help partners address this opportunity,” they added. “For example, we plan to increase our funding by as much as 10X for both ISV and systems integrator partners to implement gen AI. We also plan to double our rewards for services partners who drive more workload adoption and accelerate adoption of strategic products.”
“We’re also continuing to grow the initiatives, tools and resources available to our partners to help them deliver optimal experiences for customers and create impactful, profitable businesses of their own.”
