Google is reportedly planning to update the Google Assistant using generative artificial intelligence (AI) technology, similar to OpenAI’s ChatGPT and their own Bard. This update may lead to job cuts within the company, as teams working on the Assistant will be reorganized.
Generative AI is a type of AI that can create different types of content, such as text, images, audio, and synthetic data. According to 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.
In the email, they stated, “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.” They also mentioned that work on the revamp was already underway.
The employees were informed through the same email that, as a result of the overhaul, teams that work on and maintain Assistant will be ‘reorganized,’ and this is likely to result in layoffs, with ‘dozens’ of people losing their jobs. The message assured that the affected teammates have been notified and will be provided with dedicated support to help them through this transition.
