Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin are said to have surprisingly come back on board with plans to add chatbot features to the search engine.
the The New York Times It states that Page and Brin were brought back to Google by Sundar Pichai, the company’s current CEO, after OpenAI’s ChatGPT raised a red icon.
Although ChatGPT only came out a couple of months ago, it has quickly made a huge impact with its ability to simplify complex concepts and create new ones.
Google is on high alert that ChatGPT may provide an alternative way to search for information.
The Times notes that it was unusual to see Google’s founders involved in the search engine side of the business, underscoring the urgency Google feels regarding AI and ChatGPT.
“Since stepping back from day-to-day duties, Mr. Page and Mr. Brin have taken a hands-off approach to Google,” said two people familiar with the matter.
Until recently, they didn’t get much involved with the search engine. But they have long been keen to bring AI into Google products.”
The New York Times report goes on to note that Pichai is changing current plans and accelerating the development of artificial intelligence.
Now, Google plans to launch more than 20 new AI products and showcase a version of its search engine with chatbot capabilities this year.
The news comes as Alphabet, the parent company of Google, is reducing its workforce. On Friday, the company announced that it would cut nearly 12,000 jobs due to a hiring boom during the pandemic and concerns about an economic slowdown.
Many startups like You.com and Neeva have already outdone Google by providing the ability to answer queries through a chatbot similar to ChatGPT.
In addition, Microsoft is developing a version of Bing that uses chatbot technology, which is expected to be released in March, according to a report.
OpenAI’s ChatGPT has sparked an industry-wide shift in AI and search engine development strategy.
The concern expressed by Google’s founders should alert industry professionals to the importance of keeping abreast of the company’s developments in this area and using them to maintain a competitive edge.
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