Warren Buffett has revealed that he personally drove Berkshire Hathaway’s investment in Alphabet, clarifying that the decision was his despite Greg Abel now serving as the conglomerate’s chief executive.
Speaking in an interview with CNBC’s Becky Quick, the 95-year-old investor said he initiated Berkshire’s position in the Google parent company while emphasising that investment decisions remain collaborative between him and Abel.
”I initiated it,” Buffett said. “I am not doing anything that he doesn’t approve of. He’s not doing anything I don’t approve of. We talk all the time, but he is the decider.”
Berkshire first disclosed its stake in Alphabet during the third quarter of 2025 and has steadily increased its investment. Earlier this year, the conglomerate also participated in Alphabet’s US$10 billion private placement, which was aimed at funding the technology giant’s expanding artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure.
The investment is now valued at approximately US$31 billion, making Alphabet one of Berkshire’s significant equity holdings.
Buffett said his investment philosophy continues to focus on businesses capable of generating strong returns on capital over long periods.
”The trick in life is to find— I mean investing — is to find businesses that are going to earn high returns on capital for an extended period of time,” he said.
Despite Berkshire’s growing stake, Buffett indicated that Alphabet is not among his most preferred investments. He noted that the company ranks behind at least four or five other Berkshire-owned businesses.
The veteran investor also expressed caution about the enormous capital commitments required to remain competitive in the AI race, describing the spending by major technology companies as a defining challenge for the sector.
”The real question with Google and all of its competitors now, because they’re all laying out hundreds of billions, and that’s real money,” Buffett said. “That’s the game they’re playing now. They weren’t playing that game with computer software.”
Buffett nevertheless maintained his confidence in Apple, Berkshire Hathaway’s largest equity holding, even after reports that Chief Executive Tim Cook is preparing to step down.
He said his understanding of the iPhone maker has deepened over the years and expressed confidence in its ability to sustain long-term growth.
”I know more about Apple than I knew many years ago,” Buffett said. “If you’re Apple, you’ve got very, very smart people all over the world trying to figure out how to make sure that Apple’s future is as bright as the past.”
