Erin Woo

San Francisco

covering google & alphabet @theinformation. board member @aajasf. previously @nytimes et al. tips: [email protected] or erinkwoo.07 on signal

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Articles

Google’s Search for Its AI Future

1 week ago | theinformation.com | Erin Woo

Next week, a federal judge will start the process of determining how to fix Google’s search engine, which he ruled last summer was an illegal monopoly. No matter what he decides, though, artificial intelligence is already upending the future of Google Search. Over the past two years, as OpenAI’s ChatGPT has grown more popular, Google has overcome a slow start to speed up the release of new AI features for its search engine, such as AI Overviews, which provides AI-generated answers.
Google Lays Off Hundreds of Employees in Android, Pixel Group

2 weeks ago | theinformation.com | Erin Woo

Source: The InformationGoogle on Thursday laid off hundreds of employees in its platforms and devices unit, which works on Android software, Pixel phones and the Chrome browser, according to a person with direct knowledge of the situation. The cuts follow the company’s move in January to offer buyouts to employees in the unit. Google moved Android and Chrome under Pixel and devices executive Rick Osterloh last year. The combined group numbered over 20,000 before the buyout offer.
Guild Unveils Creator ‘Rider’

2 weeks ago | theinformation.com | Erin Woo

A nonprofit is trying to bring more legal rigor to the creator economy. Creators Guild of America is releasing a legal document for creators that outlines basic protections for their deals with brands, social platforms and agencies. It aims to provide a standard for the industry, covering topics including timely payments and how a creator's content can be reused or repurposed, including by artificial intelligence systems.
Google Cloud Announces Agent Building Software, New Chip, Music Model

2 weeks ago | theinformation.com | Erin Woo

Source: The Information Google Cloud executives announced a flurry of new and coming-soon AI products at its annual Cloud Next conference in Vegas on Wednesday, as the company attempts to use its proprietary AI models to compete with larger cloud rivals Amazon and Microsoft.
David Sacks’ Craft Ventures Lays Off Staff, Co-Founder Steps Back

2 weeks ago | theinformation.com | Erin Woo

Craft Ventures, the eight-year-old venture firm co-founded by White House adviser David Sacks, last week laid off half a dozen employees who were largely involved in recruiting professionals for startups it backs, a spokesperson confirmed. It made the changes as the firm’s investors have shifted their focus to later-stage investments from very early-stage investments, according to a person with direct knowledge of the changes.
Google Replaces Head of Gemini Chatbot

3 weeks ago | theinformation.com | Erin Woo

Source: The InformationGoogle is replacing the leader of its Gemini chatbot, a spokesperson said Wednesday, as the company attempts to wrest market share from OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Josh Woodward, currently the head of product incubator Google Labs, will now also lead the Gemini chatbot group, known internally as Bard, according to the spokesperson. Sissie Hsiao, a longtime Googler who until Wednesday had been overseeing Bard, will move to a new role within Google.
Isomorphic Labs Raises $600 Million

3 weeks ago | theinformation.com | Erin Woo

Source: The InformationIsomorphic Labs, Alphabet’s AI drug discovery subsidiary, has raised $600 million in its first funding round, the company said Monday. Thrive Capital led the round, with participation from Alphabet and Google Ventures, another subsidiary of Alphabet, according to the company’s press release. Thrive is one of the biggest investors in OpenAI, among other AI startups. The company didn’t disclose its valuation.
Google Strips DEI Language From Some Internal Research Studies

1 month ago | theinformation.com | Erin Woo

Google employees have told staffers doing user research around Google devices to remove language related to diversity, equity and inclusion from their work or else lock down access to their documents, according to a person with direct knowledge of the instructions. Employees working on internal research studies for building new products and features were given a list of words to replace in studies they were working on or had already published internally.
EU Says Google and Apple in Breach of Digital Markets Act

1 month ago | theinformation.com | Erin Woo

Source: The InformationThe European Commission said on Tuesday that Google’s parent company, Alphabet, was in breach of the Digital Markets Act, by favoring its own services in Google search results and preventing competition with its Google Play app store. Separately on Tuesday, the Commission said that Apple needed to grant third-party device manufacturers additional access to iPhone features so the devices can work better on iPhones, and make the process of doing so more transparent.
Google DeepMind’s Expanding Org

1 month ago | theinformation.com | Erin Woo

As Google attempts to catch up to OpenAI’s ChatGPT, its DeepMind artificial intelligence unit is in a near constant state of flux. Two years after Google merged its two AI units to form Google DeepMind, the unit’s chief, Demis Hassabis, has expanded his purview by adding numerous other teams.