Investors’ query: Can Google answer Microsoft’s AI threat?

By MICHAEL LIEDTKE
AP Technology Writer

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Google is a company built on finding quick answers to people’s questions. But suddenly it finds itself grappling for a response to a potential threat to its internet empire — a form of artificial intelligence that long-time rival Microsoft is now deploying to attack its dominant search engine. Microsoft’s assault combined with concerns Google’s ability to ward it off hammered its corporate parent, Alphabet Inc., whose stock price plunged nearly 8% in a selloff that wiped out about $100 billion in shareholder wealth Wednesday. The downturn came after Google elaborated on its plans for a chatbot dubbed “Bard” during an uninspiring presentation that included inaccurate information about space exploration.