It remains to be seen how the new Android and Pixel unit will actually work, but this is what Google has said so far about the future of AI.
Previously, Hiroshi Lockheimer led the Platforms & Ecosystems team responsible for Android (Auto, TV, Wear OS, XR, etc.), Chrome, Chrome OS, and Google Photos. Meanwhile, Rick Osterloh has overseen the Devices & Services division since its inception.
Having a unified team across platforms and devices helps us deliver quality products and experiences to our users and partners. This will help us accelerate the Android and Chrome ecosystem and deliver the best innovations to our partners faster, like we did with Circle to Search with Samsung.
Sundar Pichai
We now have one unified “Platforms and Devices” team led by Rick Osterloh. The Verge Today, AI is behind this change, and the merger “allows us to do full-stack innovation when we need it.”
VP of Google DeepMind joins Platforms & Devices to foster deeper collaboration. Notably, the existing Google Research team working on computational photography and on-device intelligence will be transitioning to join the new organization to bring deep expertise in AI across platforms and devices. “That’s what I’m doing.”
Osterloh said the company’s AI division will conduct the research and his new team will manufacture the AI products. He gave two examples today of what is possible with close collaboration starting from the camera.
“It required deep knowledge of hardware systems, from the sensor to the ISP to every layer of the software stack. And at the time, all the early HDR and ML models that were doing camera processing…hardware/software/ I think the integration of AI really showed how AI can completely transform the user experience. And that’s even more true today.”
The other is the GPU, which allows hardware and software teams to iterate faster through tighter collaboration.
In terms of what this looks like for end users, Osterloh wants to launch new products and update existing products at a faster pace as the AI models improve. CEO Sundar Pichai said the new integrated team “will also enable faster decision-making” within the company.
“You can’t airdrop a new SOC into an existing product,” says Osterloh. “But it is possible to design for longevity and update the software frequently.”
So far, that’s been the case with the Pixel 8 (Pro), with some AI features arriving months after launch and more expected over the phone’s lifespan.
Updating…
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