• Alphabet, the parent firm of Google, CEO Sundar Pichai released that Google’s work environment teams structure will receive a change to create AI products faster.
  • Responsible AI teams across the business will move under Google DeepMind, Pichai said.
  • Google has faced some challenges, including that it was criticised over its AI image generation tool creating ahistorical images of people.

The parent company of Google Alphabet Chief Executive Officer Sundar Pichai announced they will change Google’s work environment teams structure, which claimed the changes would speed up and improve the company’s development of artificial intelligence products and services.

The measures Google has taken

Google DeepMind, the company’s premier artificial intelligence division, will house the models, research, and responsible AI teams, according to Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai.

Employees working on the technology from Google Research and Google DeepMind will come together as a single team to expedite work on Google’s AI models, Gemma and Gemni. This will also consolidate the costly computing power required to train and build the systems under one arm of the company. All business-wide responsible AI teams will be consolidated under Google DeepMind.

Meanwhile, efforts from Google’s hardware, software, and AI teams—including those working on products like Android, Chrome, search, and photos—will be consolidated into a new team called Platform and Devices. Employees working on computational photography and on-device AI features, such as Google’s recently announced “circle to search” AI tool in collaboration with Samsung, will also be part of the group.

Google has stepped up its efforts in this area to keep up with Microsoft’s allied effort in generative AI.

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The challenges Google confronted

Google received harsh criticism due to its AI image generation tool producing ahistorical images of people. In addition, Pichai on Thursday announced the creation of a central company Trust and Safety team, which would devote more resources to testing and assessing AI systems. This move seems to be an attempt to mitigate the risks involved in implementing consumer-facing AI products by concentrating accountability under a single team.

Additionally, Pichai mentioned this week’s employee protest against Project Nimbus, a $1.2 billion joint venture between Amazon and the Israeli government and military to supply AI and cloud services. Google dismissed 28 workers who were part of the protest on Wednesday.