Alphabet beats expectations as Google cloud business grows more than 80 percent

Google parent Alphabet reported second-quarter results that beat investor expectations, with Google's cloud business growing by more than 80 percent, the company said Wednesday.

Investors have been looking for signs that the company's investments in artificial intelligence are paying off.

Chief executive Sundar Pichai said in a statement that the quarter was helped by growth in the company's Gemini AI model and AI search queries. He also pointed to YouTube, where he said more than 1.7 billion unique viewers watched videos related to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.