Google integrates Gemini app team with DeepMind to boost AI development
Published: 14:29 17 Oct 2024 EDT
Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG)'s Google announced on Thursday that it will integrate the team behind its Gemini app into its AI research division, DeepMind, as part of efforts to streamline operations and strengthen its position in the competitive generative AI landscape.
CEO Sundar Pichai revealed in a blog post significant structural changes within the company's Knowledge & Information (K&I) team, aligning the tech giant's evolving artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities with its core products.
Pinchai said the company will integrate the Gemini app team, led by Sissie Hsiao, into Google DeepMind under Demis Hassabis.
The Gemini app, Google’s consumer interface for its latest AI models, is central to the company’s future AI offerings.
Pinchai said the move is aimed at improving feedback loops and accelerating the deployment of AI models, bolstering the company’s ongoing product momentum.
The changes come amid a surge in AI-driven advancements, such as Google’s NotebookLM with Audio Overviews, new AI features in Search and Lens, and the launch of an AI-focused Google Shopping platform. Notably, Google recently marked 600,000 AI-assisted diabetic retinopathy screenings, expanding access to medical AI tools across India and Thailand.
In addition, the Assistant teams focused on devices and home experiences will now report to the Platforms & Devices unit, a shift designed to align product development with the AI-powered home initiatives Google has been working on.
Leadership transitions are also on the horizon, as Prabhakar Raghavan, who has led teams across various sectors at Google for 12 years, including Gmail, Drive, and Search, steps down as Senior Vice President of K&I. Raghavan will transition to the role of Chief Technologist, where he will provide technical direction and continue fostering Google's culture of technological excellence. In his place, Nick Fox will take over leadership of the K&I team.
Fox has helped Google's AI roadmap, overseeing product development across Search, Assistant, and Ads, and introducing key consumer offerings like Google Fi and RCS messaging.
