Google Assistant Division Is Reorganizing To Focus On Bard (cnbc.com) 12
An anonymous reader quotes a report from CNBC: Google is reshuffling the reporting structure of its virtual assistant unit -- called Assistant -- to focus more on Bard, the company's new artificial intelligence chat technology. In a memo to employees on Wednesday, titled "Changes to Assistant and Bard teams," Sissie Hsiao, vice president and lead of Google Assistant's business unit, announced changes to the organization that show the unit heavily prioritizing Bard. "As the Bard teams continue this work, we want to ensure we continue to support and execute on the opportunities ahead," Hsiao said in the email. "This year, more than ever, we have been focused on delivery with impact to our users."
Jianchang "JC" Mao, who reported directly to Hsiao, will be leaving the company for personal reasons, according to the memo, which was viewed by CNBC. Mao held the position of vice president of engineering for Google Assistant and "helped shape the Assistant we have today," Hsiao wrote. Taking Mao's place will be 16-year Google veteran Peeyush Ranjan, who most recently held the title of vice president in Google's commerce organization, overseeing payments.
The new leadership changes suggest that the Assistant organization may be planning on integrating Bard technology into similar products in the future. [...] As part of Wednesday's change, Google Assistant engineering vice president Amar Subramanya will now lead engineering for the Bard team, the email said. Trevor Strohman, who previously led engineering efforts for Bard, will continue as an "Area Tech Lead" for Bard, reporting to Hsiao. Ars Technica's Ron Amadeo ponders if the Google Assistant is facing a "looming Google shutdown."
"If we assume the idea of the Google Assistant -- a voice assistant that helps you do things -- isn't completely dead at Google, you could imagine a future where Bard's language model helps it understand what you want to do and will do it, but it feels like the service is years away from something like that," writes Amadeo. "The Assistant today doesn't have language model problems, though, just voice recognition problems, and Bard won't help with that."
Jianchang "JC" Mao, who reported directly to Hsiao, will be leaving the company for personal reasons, according to the memo, which was viewed by CNBC. Mao held the position of vice president of engineering for Google Assistant and "helped shape the Assistant we have today," Hsiao wrote. Taking Mao's place will be 16-year Google veteran Peeyush Ranjan, who most recently held the title of vice president in Google's commerce organization, overseeing payments.
The new leadership changes suggest that the Assistant organization may be planning on integrating Bard technology into similar products in the future. [...] As part of Wednesday's change, Google Assistant engineering vice president Amar Subramanya will now lead engineering for the Bard team, the email said. Trevor Strohman, who previously led engineering efforts for Bard, will continue as an "Area Tech Lead" for Bard, reporting to Hsiao. Ars Technica's Ron Amadeo ponders if the Google Assistant is facing a "looming Google shutdown."
"If we assume the idea of the Google Assistant -- a voice assistant that helps you do things -- isn't completely dead at Google, you could imagine a future where Bard's language model helps it understand what you want to do and will do it, but it feels like the service is years away from something like that," writes Amadeo. "The Assistant today doesn't have language model problems, though, just voice recognition problems, and Bard won't help with that."
Google Bardsistant (Score:5, Funny)
"The Assistant today doesn't have language model problems, though, just voice recognition problems, and Bard won't help with that."
So the new Bard-enabled Google Assistant will hardly comprehend what you ask it, and the AI will make stuff up in its answer, or convince you to leave your wife [huffpost.com] or something. I can't wait to use this product...
The promises of the future are congealing into an evermore depressing present.
Pass the popcorn (Score:4, Insightful)
It's weird to see Google in a panic trying to catch up with something Microsoft did. Usually it's the other way around.
(Weird, but fun...)
Re: (Score:2)
Not sure if it is blind panic. It would match the announcement a while ago that heralded the end of conversational actions for Google assistant - the ability for 3rd parties to provide heir own tricks for it and what made Alexa successful. It may be used as an API to extend the Assistant capabilities. But knowing Google, I don't expect that much coordination.
Re: (Score:2)
To be fair Microsoft didn't do anything, they just licenced ChatGPT for Bing.
I doubt Google Assistant is going away though. It might change to incorporate Bard, but they aren't going to can it because it's an essential part of Android. It would be like Apple dropping Siri.
Re: (Score:2)
Not so much an essential part of Android, I open it only when I press something by accident. The phone is 100% functional without it.
Re: (Score:2)
I mean from a product point of view they need to have that feature in their OS, even if you personally don't use it.
I actually find it handy sometimes when driving.
Re: (Score:3)
Speaking of developers (developers, developers!), Microsoft has in recent years garnered large amounts of goo
I would spend more time with both (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
I hate HR-speak (Score:5, Funny)
This year, more than ever, we have been focused on delivery with impact to our users.
What - you threw your product at them?
Looking back... (Score:2)
Right about now you have to wonder if Google is regretting the giant round of super-random layoffs they did.
They must have let go of a LOT of engineers who could have helped Bard... No signs they saw the ascendance of ChatGPT before that point.
Won't miss (Score:2)
Never used a voice assistant, be it from Google or anyone else, don't plan to use one, so won't miss it.