Google is reorganizing its Android and Pixel groups within the title of AI

Abstract

• Google is restructuring its inner groups to give attention to AI integration throughout numerous merchandise.
• The transfer goals to speed up know-how innovation by bringing Android, Pixel, and different groups collectively, all targeted on implementing AI options.
• The shift sees Rick Osterloh taking over the brand new division, whereas former Android lead Hiroshi Lockheimer will transfer onto different initiatives.

It is no secret that AI is Google’s essential focus lately. Virtually each latest announcement the corporate’s made has been targeted round how generative AI companies like Gemini wish to change the tech business endlessly. In the present day, slightly below a month out from I/O, Google is saying a serious shake-up to its inner staff construction, combining a number of of its {hardware} and software program initiatives — together with Android and Pixel — right into a single squad. And, you guessed it, it is a transfer that is all about AI.

In the present day’s announcement comes from The Verge, who spoke straight with Rick Osterloh in regards to the modifications. Osterloh is probably going a well-known title to most AP readers — he is been the Senior Vice President of Units & Companies since 2016, the yr the very first Pixel telephone launched. Now, he is accountable for “Platforms and Units,” a brand new staff that can focus its efforts on practically your entire favourite Google merchandise, together with Pixel, Android, Chrome and ChromeOS, Pictures, and extra. In the meantime, Hiroshi Lockheimer — who has led the Android staff since 2015 and has been concerned with the event of Google’s cell OS since virtually day one — shall be transferring onto different initiatives inside the firm.

As Osterloh explains to The Verge, this modification comes right down to Google’s give attention to AI; with these groups below one roof, Google can make the most of “full-stack innovation when needed.” Osterloh goes onto use each the Pixel’s digital camera and GPUs as examples as to how numerous {hardware}, software program, and AI builders working collectively can act to push know-how ahead sooner than a number of segmented teams working alone.

On paper, it is not such a foul concept. One of many essential critiques lobbed in the direction of Google over the previous decade is how separated its firm hierarchy is. Whereas this will enable a number of smaller groups to work sooner on new software program options, it is also how you find yourself with numerous messaging platforms and dozens of deserted concepts. In principle, bringing among the firm’s finest merchandise below one roof — and one chief — is one of the best ways to make sure that each worker is working in the direction of the identical aim of placing out one of the best mixture of {hardware} and software program possible.

Though a extra targeted Google is perhaps an excellent end result of this change-up, it is positively not the basis explanation for why it is occurring. This transfer is coming as Google feels extra strain than ever to outperform the likes of OpenAI’s ChatGPT — a genAI platform that has the monetary backing and full help of Microsoft. Osterloh offers Jay Yagnik for example of how this may profit Google. Yagnik has beforehand labored on the corporate’s AI staff, however is becoming a member of up with Osterloh to assist push ahead real-world AI functions, combining each analysis and precise merchandise into one house.

Contemplating one of many largest critiques of AI over the previous eighteen months is how little influence it at the moment makes on common finish customers, this definitely sounds promising on paper. It additionally does not sound like this transfer comes frivolously — each Osterloh and Lockheimer have been speaking with Google CEO Sundar Pichai about doing this for greater than two years. Nonetheless, there are some limitations on how these once-unconnected groups can perform collectively. Osterloh makes it clear that this transfer is not going to break the firewall that exists between Pixel and Android, with Sameer Samat taking over the function of president of the Android ecosystem.

Principally, Android is aiming to change into the cell AI platform, simply as Apple is rumored to convey a brand new give attention to AI to iOS later this yr. Presumably, we’ll study much more about what the way forward for Google’s cell OS appears like at I/O on Might 14th. Optimistically, this shake-up will work out so much higher than the final time Google did an enormous reorganization across the firm’s newest obsession — as The Verge’s David Pierce factors out, that product was Google Plus.