Google is facing renewed antitrust scrutiny from EU regulators over its search advertising auctions, as Alibaba’s Qwen app demonstrates massive scale by processing 120 million orders in just six days, and Saudi-backed Savvy Games Group enters talks to acquire Moonton, the gaming studio owned by ByteDance.

Google faces fresh EU antitrust scrutiny over search ad auctions

The European Commission has launched a new antitrust probe into Google, expanding its long-running scrutiny of the tech giant’s advertising practices. Regulators suspect the company may be manipulating the pricing of its search ad auctions, potentially inflating clearing prices “to the detriment of advertisers,” according to a February 9 letter sent to affected businesses and seen by Bloomberg.

The investigation marks the latest in a series of EU actions against Google, which has already faced billions of euros in competition fines. At stake is whether the Alphabet-owned business has leveraged its market dominance to distort the auction mechanics that underpin much of its multi-billion-dollar ad business.

Alibaba’s Qwen app processes 120 million orders in six days

Alibaba Cloud’s generative AI platform, Qwen, recorded over 120 million orders within six days, reflecting accelerating consumer uptake of AI-driven commerce in China. The company said nearly half of all transactions were made in county-level and rural regions, while around 1.56 million consumers aged 60 and above made their first online purchases through Qwen.

The data highlights Alibaba’s growing emphasis on embedding AI into retail experiences, positioning its R&D-heavy cloud division at the centre of its e-commerce ecosystem. The milestone forms part of a broader holiday shopping campaign among China’s largest technology companies, aimed at driving demand amid a cooling economy and heightened competition.

Savvy Games Group in talks to acquire ByteDance-owned Moonton

Saudi Arabia’s Savvy Games Group is reportedly in advanced discussions to acquire Moonton, the Shanghai-based games developer owned by ByteDance, in a deal that could value the studio at around US$6bn (£4.4bn). If completed, the acquisition would rank among the largest cross-border deals involving a Chinese gaming asset.

The move aligns with Saudi Arabia’s broader strategy to establish itself as a global force in gaming and interactive entertainment. For ByteDance, the potential sale underscores its retreat from the gaming sector following a years-long push to challenge Tencent through acquisitions and investments — including its 2021 purchase of Moonton for around US$4bn (£2.9bn).