Prabhakar Raghavan, head of Google’s search and ads division, is being replaced by veteran Google executive Nick Fox.
TakeAway Points:
- Nick Fox, a veteran Google executive, will take over as search and ad manager at Google from Prabhakar Raghavan, who has led the company since 2018.
- Raghavan is set to assume the position of Chief Technologist at Google.
- Furthermore, the group behind Google’s Gemini app—which encompasses the company’s direct-to-consumer AI offerings—will merge with Google DeepMind, led by Demis Hassabis, Google’s AI chief.
- Alphabet’s Google announced on Thursday that the Gemini app’s development team will be relocating to its artificial intelligence research facility, DeepMind.
Google replaces Prabhakar Raghavan
The move was announced by Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, who said in a blog post on Thursday that Raghavan will be moving into the role of chief technologist after 12 years of leading teams across the search company. Raghavan will continue to report to Pichai in the new role, the company said in a statement.
“Prabhakar has decided it’s time to make a big leap in his own career,” Pichai wrote in the post. “In this role, he’ll partner closely with me and Google leads to provide technical direction and leadership and grow our culture of tech excellence.”
The move comes as Google continues to restructure its teams to move more quickly in the artificial intelligence arms race, where it faces increased competition. The company is also dealing with several antitrust lawsuits related to its search and ad business.
Nick Fox
Fox has long been a member of Raghavan’s leadership team. He will be leading Google’s Knowledge and Information division, which includes the company’s search, ads and commerce products, Pichai said.
A Google employee since 2003, Fox has been vice president of product and design for the company’s Assistant product in recent years. He previously worked within the company’s ads business unit.
“Over the past few years, Nick has been instrumental in shaping Google’s AI product roadmap and collaborating closely with Prabhakar,” Pichai wrote.
Raghavan has led the knowledge and information unit since 2018. Earlier this year, he told employees to prepare for a different market reality because “things are not like they were 15-20 years ago”.
Additionally, Pichai announced that the team working on Google’s Gemini app, which includes Google’s AI direct-to-consumer products, will join Google DeepMind under AI head Demis Hassabis.
“Bringing the teams closer together will improve feedback loops and enable fast deployment of our new models in the Gemini app,” Pichai wrote.
The move also means the assistant teams focused on devices and home experiences will move to the Platforms and Devices unit “so they can sit closer to the product surfaces they’re building for,” Pichai wrote.
Google moves the DeepMind Gemini app team
Alphabet’s Google said on Thursday it will move the team behind the Gemini app to its artificial intelligence research lab, DeepMind, as the search giant looks to streamline its structure and better position itself in the generative AI race.
The shift “will improve feedback loops and enable fast deployment of our new models in the Gemini app,” CEO Sundar Pichai said in a blog post.
Gemini is Google’s most advanced AI technology, developed by DeepMind. The Gemini app is the direct consumer interface to the latest Gemini models.
The Gemini app team, led by Sissie Hsiao, will join Google DeepMind under the leadership of its CEO, Demis Hassabis.
Google also announced that Prabhakar Raghavan, who has led the company’s products, including search, ads, and commerce, will become chief technologist and work closely with Pichai.
Raghavan’s role as lead of the Knowledge and Information team will be taken up by Nick Fox, who has closely worked with Google on its AI product roadmap.
