Atos partners with Google Cloud as new EU data law looms

By Manon Jacob

(Reuters) - French IT services company Atos said on Tuesday it was teaming up with Google Cloud to help offer secure artificial intelligence solutions to its global customers.

"We intend to leverage these technologies coming from Google in order to address specific needs of the industry and each customer and business (insurance, public, health sector)," Eric Grall, Executive VP of Atos Global Operations, told Reuters.

Atos also said it planned to ramp up research and development centers in France, Britain and the U.S. within three months to develop future transformation projects for its customers. It is also considering opening additional innovation labs in Germany and the Benelux region.

Atos said it aims to support its clients in meeting access and control requirements under the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) which comes into effect on May 25 and introduces fines of up to 4 percent of global turnover for companies found to be in breach.

Separately on Tuesday, French oil major Total also announced a partnership with Google Cloud to develop artificial intelligence solutions for oil and gas exploration.

(Reporting by Manon Jacob; Editing by Alexander Smith)