Evening Brief - 30 October 2026

Tech giants recalibrate business models while governments test new frameworks for AI and energy independence.

Google pushes AI Mode ads internationally as search revenue growth slows to 12%

Alphabet reported third-quarter revenue of $127.6 billion on 28 October, but search advertising growth decelerated to 12% year-on-year, down from 17% in Q2 and 19% in Q1. The company is now rolling out sponsored listings within AI Mode internationally, betting on conversational ad formats to offset slowing growth in its traditional search business. Read more →

Google-backed Proxima Fusion partners with Japan's Fujikura for German reactor plant

The Munich-based fusion startup, Europe's best-funded in the sector, is working with Japanese manufacturer Fujikura on a potential component production facility in Lower Saxony. The partnership aims to build critical fusion reactor parts on German soil as the country seeks to revive its industrial base amid elevated energy costs and relocation pressures. Read more →

ByteDance merges Xiaoyunque into Dreamina as model licensing outearns consumer apps

The company is consolidating Xiaoyunque, its AI microdrama platform, into Dreamina under unified leadership within CapCut. The move comes as ByteDance's Seedance model-as-a-service business generates higher returns than consumer-facing products, signaling a strategic pivot toward professional creator tools and infrastructure over standalone apps. Read more →

Delaware drafts law allowing AI agents to run companies with no human oversight

A proposed bill outlined in July 2026 by Secretary of State Charuni Patibanda-Sanchez would create a new entity type, the AI Company, enabling autonomous software to manage daily operations, enter contracts, and handle financial obligations independently. The framework would grant legal standing to AI agents while shielding investors from most liability. Read more →

Compiled by OTW Briefing Desk from Opentechwire reporting.