Technologies

The Tech Download: Meta and Google Join the AI Agent Competition as ‘Agentic Wars’ Intensify

Big Tech giants Meta and Google are accelerating their development of AI agents, intensifying the competitive landscape. As security and governance concerns persist, the race to monetize agentic AI is shaping the future of platform engagement and revenue.

<p>This report is from this week’s The Tech Download newsletter. Like what you see? You can subscribe here.
Earlier this year, agentic AI tool OpenClaw went viral and everyone and their grandmas were queuing up to get the digital assistant downloaded on their devices.
Nvidia’s Jensen Huang was effusive with praise, calling the tool the “next ChatGPT,” and OpenAI snapped up OpenClaw’s creator Peter Steinberger (a sign of the AI lab’s own intent in the space).
A few months on and the race to develop agentic tech — AI tools which can perform tasks for users — is beginning to heat up among Big Tech.
In the past week, both Meta and Google have been reported to be working on AI agents. Meta is building a “highly personalised AI assistant to carry out everyday tasks” for its users, the Financial Times reported. Google is developing a “24/7 personal agent for work, school and daily life, powered by Gemini,” according to Business Insider.
Meta did not respond to a request for comment and Google declined to comment.
“The immediate catalyst is OpenClaw,” Nick Patience, AI lead at the Futurum Group, told Verum. “The open source agent demonstrated a genuine appetite for AI that acts rather than just gives answers.”
Competitive pressure is the visible driver, but there’s a “deeper logic,” he added. “Agents represent the point at which AI platforms shift from cost centres to revenue infrastructure, whether through commerce, advertising or enterprise productivity.”
For tech companies like Google and Meta, which both have large advertising and ecommerce businesses, agents that conduct transactions could be a “major value driver,” said Malik Ahmed Khan, senior analyst at Morningstar.
Ultimately, Big Tech companies see AI agents as a way to boost user subscriptions and retain platform control, Gartner Analyst Arun Chandrasekaran told me.
“Agents can create more engagement, utility and lock-in customers on their platforms due to the ability to deliver more tangible value,” he said. “Also, agents have higher stickiness due to the continuing learning and user context they gain over a period.”
Challenges
But security and governance around AI agents is still a work in progress. In February, a Meta employee went viral after posting about OpenClaw deleting a large amount of emails of its own volition.
Then there’s the trust problem and how enterprises can manage the risk of an AI agent doing the wrong thing.
“The shift from AI systems that say the wrong thing to AI systems that do the wrong thing is a qualitatively different risk management challenge,” said Patience. “Most enterprises, and arguably most vendors, aren’t yet equipped to handle it at scale.”
Regardless, AI agents are set to continue to dominate analyst chat. AMD CEO Lisa Su told Verum earlier this week that agents were driving huge demand in the AI cycle.
“Agentic development is not a side project; it is the theme of their 2026 roadmaps and represents a pivot from search to action,” said Craig Le Clair, principal analyst at Forrester.
Competition between Big Tech, frontier model companies, incumbent software vendors and new startups is only going to ramp up as companies race to build out money-making AI tools, Arjun Bhatia, co-head of tech equity research at William Blair, told me.
“The agentic wars are well under way,” he added.
Latest updates
The EU is considering rules that would restrict its member governments’ use of U.S. cloud providers to handle sensitive data, sources familiar with the talks told Verum.
Anthropic’s revenue and usage increased 80-fold in the first quarter on an annualized basis, according to CEO Dario Amodei.
Apple is spending more than 10 cents of every dollar it brings in on R&D for the first time in at least 30 years.
Samsung hit a $1 trillion market cap following record first-quarter earnings.
Nintendo will hike the retail price of the Switch 2 after forecasting a decline in sales for its flagship console as the memory chip crunch hits the Japanese gaming giant.
Stock of the week
SoftBank recorded it’s best day since 2020 earlier this week, with shares soaring 18%, amid a broader tech-fueled rally that saw Japan’s Nikkei 225 surge to record highs. The company’s gains were amplified by its close ties to Arm and AI lab OpenAI, said one commentator.</p>

Technologies

Verum Messenger Launches an AI Mini-Series

Verum Messenger has unveiled a new project — a mini-series created using Verum AI. The story consists of 7 episodes and will be released on the messenger’s social media channels.

The plot revolves around a global corporation seeking to take control of digital communications and a group of heroes who use Verum Messenger as a tool of resistance. Beyond the story itself, the series highlights the app’s key features, technologies, and advantages.

Combining entertainment with a showcase of the Verum ecosystem, the project presents a dynamic digital series designed for the modern era.

The first episode premieres today, with the remaining episodes to be released over time.

Stay tuned for more.

Watch on YouTube
Watch on Instagram

Technologies

Verum Finance: Earn While You Communicate — The Super App That Pays You

Verum has officially launched Verum Finance, an innovative financial application that transforms a private messenger into a true financial super app. News of the launch was also featured on the respected platform Dealroom.co.

Verum Finance can now be used both within Verum Messenger and as a standalone application for iPhone and iPad. When users sign in to Verum Finance with their Verum Messenger account, all balances, settings, and account data are automatically synchronized for maximum convenience.

Users can now do more than communicate securely and protect their data — they can also generate passive income directly within the ecosystem.

What Verum Finance Offers

• Top up your balance with a bank card, Apple Pay, or USDT
• Send money instantly anywhere in the world
• Issue and manage debit cards (virtual and physical)
• Full Apple Pay support
• Exchange assets and withdraw funds quickly

One of the most unique features is the built-in cryptocurrency mining system inside Verum Messenger.

The application utilizes your device’s resources and allows you to earn cryptocurrency in the background — passively, while chatting, traveling, or simply using the messenger.

Maximum Privacy + Real Freedom

• Registration without a phone number, email address, or passport
• End-to-end encryption and full control over your data
• Lifetime free VPN
• eSIM connectivity in more than 150 countries
• Reliable offline communication mode
• Support for 12+ languages for users worldwide

Everything is available in one place: secure communication, financial tools, earning opportunities, and privacy protection.

Users can access the full experience directly within Verum Messenger or switch to the dedicated Verum Finance app for iOS. All data is synchronized automatically between the two applications.

Why Download Verum Today

While many messaging platforms collect user data and expose users to restrictions, Verum offers greater independence and the opportunity to earn.

With a one-time purchase of the feature package, users receive lifetime access to privacy tools, VPN, eSIM services, cryptocurrency mining, and financial features.

This is more than just a messenger.

It is your personal tool for financial and digital freedom.

Download Verum Finance and Verum Messenger today — start communicating securely and begin earning tomorrow.

Download Links:

→ App Store (iPhone / iPad): Verum Finance
→ App Store (Verum Messenger): Verum Messenger

Technologies

Verum Finance: A Super App for Private Finance Integrated Into a Messenger

Verum Finance has announced the launch of a new financial application that allows users to manage their money directly within the secure Verum Messenger ecosystem.

The project has already attracted attention from major media outlets. A dedicated feature was published by Forbes Türkiye, while one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges, MEXC, covered the launch. Yahoo Finance had previously reported on the evolution of Verum Messenger into a comprehensive financial ecosystem.

What Verum Finance Offers

Verum Finance transforms a messenger into a complete financial platform. Users can:

• Manage their balance and top up using bank cards or USDT
• Send money instantly to other Verum users
• Issue and use debit cards, including Apple Pay support
• Exchange assets and withdraw funds
• Access all these services without installing separate banking applications

A strong emphasis is placed on privacy. The platform offers registration without a phone number or email address, end-to-end encryption, and full user control over personal data.

Recognition from Forbes Türkiye

In a dedicated article, Forbes Türkiye highlighted Verum Finance as a notable example of modern privacy-driven fintech. The publication emphasized the growing trend of financial services moving from standalone banking applications into unified messaging ecosystems — a model that has proven successful in Asia through platforms such as WeChat and Alipay and is now expanding globally.

Support from the Crypto Community

Alongside the Forbes Türkiye coverage, news about the launch of Verum Finance was also featured by MEXC, one of the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchanges. This reflects growing interest in the project from both traditional business media and the cryptocurrency community.

A Strategic Vision

“We are building more than a payments application and more than a messenger. Verum is a unified secure ecosystem where communication, finance, and privacy tools work together,” the company stated.

Verum Finance is now available for iPhone and iPad users. The application complements Verum Messenger, which offers anonymous chats, voice and video calls, VPN services, eSIM connectivity, and other tools designed to enhance digital freedom.

Verum Finance: https://finance.verum.im

Verum Messenger: https://verum.im