Google Cloud gets AI chip team: Can it challenge Microsoft
Google is scrambling to find momentum in the AI race. The company has been making multiple moves to challenge its rivals, including Microsoft, OpenAI, and Amazon. The firm recently merged its two AI divisions, DeepMind and Google Brain, to form Google DeepBrain. It has now moved its AI chip engineering team to Google Cloud. Let's see what led Google to make this move.
Why does this story matter?
The AI race between Google, Microsoft-OpenAI, Amazon, and others is not just about AI research and development. It is mainly about developing AI-based products that can generate income for companies. Google has had a sluggish start to the race. However, the tech giant is trying to make up for the lost time with a flurry of AI-related announcements and products.
Google could be focusing on AI-based cloud products
The team at Google responsible for engineering AI chips has been moved to the Cloud unit, a company spokesperson told The Information. Last month, the company moved the workload of its chip infrastructure team to Google Cloud. The move could be a sign of Google focusing on AI-based cloud products. Is Google a bit late, though?
Microsoft and AWS are already offering AI services on cloud
Google playing catch-up to its rivals has been the general theme of this AI race. It's the same here too. Microsoft has been providing AI services to its clients via the Azure OpenAI Service for a while now. Market leader AWS (Amazon Web Services) joined Microsoft by announcing a suite of AI technologies earlier this month. Google is late again.
Google Bard can now code
Google's slow start to the AI race began with Bard, its ChatGPT-rival. The chatbot's first demo cost Google-parent Alphabet $100 billion. The company has been trying to fix Bard since then. One of Bard's biggest weaknesses was its inability to code. The company has now updated Bard with programming and software development capabilities. Now, it can code, debug, and explain a code.
Google has become aggressive in the AI race
Google and its executives have been indifferent to questions about challenges from its rivals in the AI race. Well, at least on the outside. Internally, however, it seems the company has bid adieu to its cautious approach to AI. Project Magi, AI in the ad business, Google DeepMind... these are recent moves made by Google. Aggression is Google's new chosen way of warfare.
