Google sees AI interest amid Belgian data center delays

Google is facing both technological interest and regulatory hurdles. At the Made by Google event, Gemini Intelligence AI features were highlighted as a top announcement, with 10 percent of respondents finding them the most impressive. Other notable hardware mentions included the Pixel Tag and the Pixel 11 Pro series.

In Belgium, Google’s plans to build a second data center in Farciennes, Wallonia, have been stalled. The project intended to use water from the Samber river for cooling, but the Walloon Minister of Spatial Policy, François Desquesnes, refused a permit amendment. The decision was driven by concerns over climate change and the uncertainty regarding future water availability due to ongoing droughts.