Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG) is a multinational technology conglomerate that serves as the parent company of Google and several former Google subsidiaries. Its core business activities include internet search, digital advertising, cloud computing, software and hardware development, and video streaming. Through its flagship Google Search engine and advertising platforms such as Google Ads and AdSense, Alphabet generates the majority of its revenue by connecting advertisers with billions of users worldwide. The company also operates YouTube, one of the world’s largest online video services, and develops the Android mobile operating system used by hundreds of device manufacturers.
In addition to its advertising and consumer-facing services, Alphabet has expanded into enterprise technology through Google Cloud. This division offers infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS), platform-as-a-service (PaaS), and software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions, including data analytics, machine learning, and collaboration tools under the Google Workspace suite. Alphabet’s “Other Bets” segment invests in long-term research and development projects such as Waymo (self-driving vehicles), Verily (life sciences), and Loon (high-altitude internet balloons), highlighting the company’s commitment to innovation beyond its core internet businesses.
Originally founded in 1998 as Google by Larry Page and Sergey Brin while they were Ph.D. students at Stanford University, the company restructured in 2015 to create Alphabet Inc. as its publicly traded parent. This change established a clearer governance structure, positioning Google as one of several semi-independent businesses overseen by Alphabet. Sundar Pichai, who became CEO of Google in 2015, assumed the role of Alphabet’s CEO in 2019, reflecting a unified leadership approach across the conglomerate’s diverse operations.
Alphabet’s global footprint spans North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and other regions, with research centers, data centers, and offices in dozens of countries. Its mission to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible underpins its ongoing investments in artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and next-generation connectivity. Through a blend of mature internet services and speculative projects, Alphabet aims to sustain long-term growth while driving technological advancements across multiple industries.
