Google has unveiled a significant restructuring of its divisions and leadership in a bid to accelerate its artificial intelligence (AI) initiatives. The shake-up, announced by CEO Sundar Pichai, aims to bring various teams closer together and streamline the company’s AI-focused projects, reflecting Google’s growing emphasis on AI as a core part of its future strategy.
One of the most notable changes is the integration of the Gemini app team, previously led by Sissie Hsiao, into Google DeepMind, under the leadership of Demis Hassabis. This move, Pichai explained, will help improve the speed and efficiency of the development and deployment of new AI models within the Gemini app.
“Bringing the teams closer together will improve feedback loops, enable fast deployment of our new models, and make post-training work proceed more efficiently,” Pichai said. The restructuring is expected to enhance the momentum of Google’s AI products, building on the success of previous projects.
Additionally, Google is consolidating its Assistant teams focused on devices and home experiences into its Platforms & Devices division. This reorganisation is intended to better align the teams with the product surfaces they are working on and bring Google’s smart home initiatives under one unified leadership.
Leadership Changes to Support AI Goals
As part of the reshuffle, Prabhakar Raghavan, a 12-year veteran at Google, will transition from his current role to become the company’s Chief Technologist. Pichai praised Raghavan’s leadership, highlighting his role in key AI innovations, such as the introduction of Smart Reply and Smart Compose in Gmail, as well as his contributions to Google Workspace, Ads, and Knowledge & Information (K&I) divisions.
“Prabhakar’s leadership journey at Google has been remarkable,” Pichai said, noting that Raghavan helped lead Gmail and Google Drive to reach over a billion users.
Nick Fox, another long-standing Google executive, will take over as Senior Vice President of K&I, a division responsible for some of Google’s core product developments. Fox has extensive experience across the company, having worked on Search, Assistant, Shopping, and other key areas. Pichai expressed confidence in Fox’s ability to shape Google’s AI strategy moving forward.
“Nick has been instrumental in shaping our AI product roadmap,” Pichai commented. “I frequently turn to him to tackle our most challenging product questions, and he consistently delivers progress with tenacity, speed, and optimism.”
AI at the Heart of Google’s Innovations
This restructuring comes at a time of rapid innovation within Google’s AI operations. Recent AI-driven developments have ranged from the successful launch of NotebookLM, which includes features like Audio Overviews, to advancements in Search and Google Shopping, all reimagined for the AI era. Notably, Google’s healthcare AI initiative to detect diabetic retinopathy has now conducted over 600,000 screenings and is set to expand across India and Thailand.
Other breakthrough projects include AlphaProteo, a technology that promises to revolutionise protein design, and new updates to the Gemini family of AI models, further underscoring Google’s ambition to lead in the AI space.
Pichai acknowledged the unprecedented speed at which AI is evolving, stating: “AI moves faster than any technology before it. To keep up with this pace, we’ve made changes to simplify our structures and drive innovation forward.”
The restructuring marks Google’s commitment to ensuring that its AI initiatives remain at the forefront of technological advancements, while its leadership and organisational changes reflect a strategic focus on harnessing the full potential of AI across its product offerings.
