Google is planning to overhaul the Google Assistant with generative artificial intelligence (AI), doing so by adding features that will ‘mirror’ chatbots such as OpenAI's ChatGPT, as well as the tech giant's very own Bard.
This is according to Axios, which added in its report that the process will also lead to multiple job cuts within the company.
A ‘supercharged’ Google Assistant
As per Axios, Google VP Peeyush Ranjan, and Duke Dukellis, Director of Product, informed employees about the upcoming Assistant revamp through an internal email, accessed by the website.
“There is profound potential in generative AI to transform people's lives, and see a huge opportunity to explore what a supercharged Assistant, powered by the latest LLM (large language model) technology, would look like,” the email stated.
Ranjan and Dukellis added that work on the revamp was already underway.
‘Assistant teams to be reorganised’
The employees were informed through the same email that as a result of the overhaul, teams that work on and maintain Assistant will be ‘reorganised,’ and this is likely to result in layoffs, with ‘dozens’ of people to lose jobs.
“As part of this update, we are also eliminating a small number of roles within the team. We have already let these teammates know, and we will provide dedicated support to help them through this transition,” the message said.
What is generative AI?
{{/usCountry}}“As part of this update, we are also eliminating a small number of roles within the team. We have already let these teammates know, and we will provide dedicated support to help them through this transition,” the message said.
What is generative AI?
{{/usCountry}}Generative AI is a form of artificial intelligence technology that produces various types of content, including text, imagery, audio, and synthetic data.