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☆ A product manager who worked at Meta and Google reveals which company is best for work-life balance
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-05 | by ( Lloyd Lee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

A Meta product manager who also worked at Google in a similar role revealed some differences between the tech companies based on his experiences over the past six years. AdvertisementCompany transparencyMeta does maintain some of the transparency the company was known for in its earlier days, McKinnon wrote. At Meta, McKinnon was aware of what other teams were working on, partly through the company's internal forums and dashboards. At Google, employees mostly communicate through email or chat, so it's more difficult to know what everyone is doing, McKinnon wrote. At Google, McKinnon saw that projects were largely created and led by software engineers, and PMs played a more auxiliary role.

Persons: —, Daniel McKinnon, Ray, McKinnon, Googlers, Meta's, Mark Zuckerberg, Sundar, Alphabet's, Sundar Pichai wasn't, Zuckerberg, Meta, VPs, Susan Li Organizations: Meta, Google, Service, Unit, Business, Facebook, . Software Engineers Locations: Meta

☆ Google's CEO says its workplace isn't a place to 'fight over disruptive issues or debate politics'
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-18 | by ( Ana Altchek | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Sundar Pichai said in a blog post the office isn't a place to "debate politics." Google fired 28 workers involved in protests against its $1.2 billion contract with Israel. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . The CEO's message, which comes only two days after in-office protests, is loud and clear: the office isn't a place for politics. That separate memo had told workers to "think again" before violating company policies with sit-in protests.

Persons: Sundar Pichai, —, Sundar Pichai's splashy Organizations: Google, Israel, Service, Google's, Business Locations: Israel, Sunnyvale and New York City

☆ How Google lost its way
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-29 | by ( Hugh Langley | Lara O'Reilly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +17 min

Just two months after Google launched Gemini, its flashy new AI model, the company revealed that it had already built a better version. AdvertisementThen, days later, Google scrambled to explain why its image generation tool spit out racially inaccurate depictions of historical figures. Users have long bemoaned — and researchers recently found — a decline in the quality of Google Search results. The fact that Google is not far and away the self-driving-car leader, it's, like, a total joke," the former Google director said, adding that the problem of Google's lost supremacy is "maybe impossible to solve, frankly." Google now is reminiscent of the Steve Ballmer-era Microsoft, which missed the smartphone, search, and cloud waves and was overtaken by Apple, Google, and Amazon.

Persons: OpenAI, Sora, Sam Altman, Sundar Pichai's, Pichai, —, Larry Page, Sergey Brin, Lea Suzuki, Getty Brin, Page, Google, Googlers, Axel Springer, Diane von Furstenberg, Giovanni Giannoni, Michael Avrukin, Vuk Valcic, wouldn't, Patrick Mork, Eric Lehman, Lehman, ChatGPT, Caesar Sengupta, Sengupta, Alexa, Google's, Steve Ballmer, Satya Nadella, Hugh Langley, Lara O'Reilly Organizations: Google, Hollywood, Industry, San Francisco Chronicle, Business, Penske Media, Microsoft, Amazon, The New York Times, Oracle, YouTube, Apple, IBM, Meta Locations: Silicon Valley, Silicon, —

☆ Google's highly competitive APM program was the key to jump-starting my career. Here's what it was like and how much I make as a product manager.
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( Aria Yang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

He said the APM program is so competitive that landing an interview is like hitting a gold mine. After graduating, I chose Google over other companies because it offered a lot more support and resources: The Google APM program was proposed by former Google executive Marissa Mayer who started the program in 2002 to recruit fresh talents. Getting into the program is hard — it is estimated that 8,000 people apply to the APM program each year, and only 40-45 get accepted. This is the best part about the APM program — the ability to switch teams. I went to work in the office of the CEO, Sundar Pichai, and did product strategy-related work directly for him.

Persons: Arjun Lalwani, Arjun, —, Marissa Mayer, I've, you'll, Google's, Sundar Pichai, Sundar Pichai's, It's, Aria Yang Organizations: Google, APM, Service, YouTube, Microsoft, Google APM, APM II, Base, Hilton, Marriott Locations: Paris, Singapore, Madrid, Lisbon, ayang@insider.com

☆ Alphabet to report second-quarter results after the bell
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( Jennifer Elias | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Alphabet will report second-quarter earnings after the close of regular trading on Tuesday. Revenue: $72.82 billion, according to Refinitiv. $72.82 billion, according to Refinitiv. $7.87 billion, according to StreetAccount. Google Cloud, which competes with infrastructure offerings from Amazon and Microsoft , is expected to report growth of 25%.

Persons: Bard, —, Sundar Pichai's Organizations: Google, CNBC, Big Tech, Microsoft, Workers Locations: Refinitiv

☆ Google explores AI tools for journalists, in talks with publishers
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

July 19 (Reuters) - Google is exploring using artificial intelligence tools to write news articles and is in talks with news organizations to use the tools to assist journalists, a company spokesperson said late on Wednesday. These AI tools could assist journalists with options for headlines or different writing styles, for instance, in a way that "enhances their work and productivity," the Google spokesperson said, adding it was in the "earliest stages of exploring ideas". "Quite simply these tools are not intended to, and cannot, replace the essential role journalists have in reporting, creating, and fact-checking their articles," the spokesperson said. The AI tool that was pitched is called Genesis internally at Google, the NYT said, citing people familiar with the matter. A News Corp spokesperson declined to comment on the NYT report or the AI tool, but said, "We have an excellent relationship with Google, and we appreciate (Google CEO) Sundar Pichai's long-term commitment to journalism."

Persons: Sundar Pichai's, OpenAI, Urvi Dugar, Savio D'Souza Organizations: Google, New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street, News Corp, Associated Press, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru

☆ Google explores AI tools for journalists, in talks with publishers - spokesperson
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Persons: Sundar Pichai's, OpenAI, Urvi Dugar, Savio D'Souza Organizations: Google, New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street, News Corp, Associated Press, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru

☆ Investors looking toward Google I/O 2023 for resurgence of Google's A.I. vision
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

In this videoShare Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailInvestors looking toward Google I/O 2023 for resurgence of Google's A.I. visionAlex Kantrowitz, Big Technology founder, joins 'The Exchange' to discuss Google CEO Sundar Pichai's keynote address at Google I/O 2023, changing consumer behavior with A.I., and the evolution of Google's Bard product.

☆ Google I/O: Tech giant removes the waitlist for Bard A.I. chatbot
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

In this videoShare Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailGoogle I/O: Tech giant removes the waitlist for Bard A.I. chatbotCNBC's Deirdre Bosa joins 'The Exchange' to discuss upcoming modifications to Google Search, how Google will change its advertising model, and Sundar Pichai's commitment to A.I. responsibility.

☆ 10 Things in Tech: Joe Biden has tried ChatGPT, Silicon Valley goes sober, and leaked Shopify audio
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Diamond Naga Siu | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

And Silicon Valley is catching on, too. My colleague Samantha Stokes did a deep dive into the growing trend of techies avoiding alcohol. Silicon Valley goes sober. My colleague Samantha Stokes examined this growing trend in Silicon Valley and gives some insight into the drying industry. In other news:Screenshot of Hot Chat 30002.

☆ Angry Google employees are mocking CEO Sundar Pichai's pay hike with memes, including one of a 'Shrek' villain, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Beatrice Nolan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Some Google employees aren't happy about Sundar Pichai's $226 million paycheck. Some Google employees aren't happy about CEO Sundar Pichai's pay packet amid the company's cost-cutting. Per CNBC, the accompanying text read: "Sundar accepting $226 million while laying off 12k Googlers, cutting perks, and destroying morale and culture." However, Pichai's pay packet was boosted last year due to stock awards worth $218 million. According to court filings, the executive was paid a total of $226 million in 2022, making him one of the highest-paid CEOs in the US.

☆ Google employees complain about CEO Sundar Pichai's pay raise as cost cuts hit rest of the company
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Jennifer Elias | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Google CEO Sundar Pichai speaks at a panel at the CEO Summit of the Americas hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on June 09, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)Google CEO Sundar Pichai received a hefty pay raise last year, making him one of the highest-paid CEOs in America. SEC filings showed Pichai was paid a total of $226 million last year, mostly through $218 million in stock awards. Twilio CEO Jeff Lawson said he'd also be taking a pay cut amid a 17% workforce reduction. At an all-hands meeting, employees asked Pichai why executives are getting pay cuts if he's taking responsibility.

Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai received $226 million in total compensation in 2022, most of which came through stock awards, according to a securities report filed by the company on Friday. His annual salary was $2 million from 2020 to 2022, the filing stated. The CEO's compensation package also included almost $6 million for personal security in 2022. Other Alphabet and Google principal executives made approximately $22 million to $35 million in annual stock awards, according to the filing. The report comes as Alphabet is initiating cost restructuring measures, including layoffs in January that eliminated 12,000 workers, or 6% of its workforce.

☆ Want in on the AI boom? These 8 high-quality stocks are already ahead of the pack
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Paulina Likos | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +13 min

AI-powered technology companies Microsoft Microsoft arguably pushed AI into the mainstream with its unexpected release of its new AI-powered search engine Bing. During its annual conference for developers earlier this month, Nvidia demonstrated the fundamental importance of its role in facilitating the usage AI applications. Also unveiled were four new chips designed specifically for inferencing , which are optimized for various new generative AI applications. To facilitate these operations, AMD provides machine learning and deep learning systems which offer higher-performance computing capabilities to accelerate AI applications. Qualcomm Qualcomm (QCOM) is focused on making AI technology on-device processing more efficient across different industries and products.

☆ Amazon's pledge to become 'Earth's Best Employer' is failing.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Diamond Naga Siu | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

I get a lot of satisfaction out of what I do, but I'd love to work for the world's best employer. What would the best employer in the world look like? While we ponder these imponderables, I can tell you that it's probably not Amazon — despite its flashy 2021 pledge to become "Earth's Best Employer." Amazon is fumbling its "Earth's Best Employer" pledge. CEO Andy Jassy even once admitted that the definition of Earth's Best Employer is "subjective."

☆ Alphabet Chairman John Hennessy explains why Google was hesitant to put out its ChatGPT competitor
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Jennifer Elias | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Google 's Bard announcement last week was meant to show that the company has similar technology as the popular ChatGPT chatbot, even though it still has ways to go before becoming product-ready, Alphabet Chairman John Hennessy said Monday. Hennessy, who spoke on key trends for 2023, briefly touched on Google being caught in the sudden onrush of interest in ChatGPT and generative AI. Last week, the company launched its response to ChatGPT in a conversation technology it is calling Bard. However, the announcement had the appearance of being rushed to match Microsoft's inclusion of ChatGPT technology into its search engine, Bing, and investors punished Alphabet stock, sending it down 9% for the day. Hennessy said Google was slow to roll out its ChatGPT competitor in part because it's still giving wrong answers.

☆ UK Google employees may not know if they're being laid off until April, according to internal memo
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Hugh Langley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

UK-based Google employees may not know if their jobs are at risk until "early April." "I know many of you will be feeling anxious," Google's UK chief told staff in a memo this week. UK Google employees affected by the company's recent layoffs may not be notified that their jobs are in danger until April, according to a memo sent to staff on Tuesday. Matt Brittin, Google's executive overseeing Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, told UK employees that those whose roles were provisionally targeted for redundancy would know "by early April." "I know many of you will be feeling anxious," Brittin told employees in the memo.

☆ Google engineer who was laid off while on mental health leave says she 'silently mourned' after receiving her severance email at 2 a.m.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( Kate Duffy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A Google engineer said she found out she was laid off at 2 a.m. while on mental health leave. Google won't let her drop off her work laptop and other devices at the office, Neil said. Ali Neil, who started working at Google in 2020, told Insider she had been on mental health leave for just over three months when she discovered the tech giant had laid her off. Neil was among the roughly 12,000 employees that Google announced would be laid off from its global workforce. Google felt like a safe and stable environment, where the risk of being laid off was very low, Neil said.

☆ A Google engineer of 8 years says his 'spidey-senses' detected incoming layoffs — and felt 'isolated' when his 'faceless' severance email arrived
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( Kate Duffy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

He said Google's severance email was "cold," "faceless," and made him feel "isolated." According to Bowling, Google had put in place travel restrictions for some employees, cut certain budgets, and implemented a temporary hiring freeze. Over the eight years he worked at Google, Bowling said the perks became "less interesting." Bowling said he was confused and checked his work email on his phone, but his account was missing. Chris McDonald, another laid-off Google engineer, told Insider he was in "a state of shock" after receiving his severance email at 3 a.m. on Friday.

☆ Laid-off Google engineer says he was in 'a state of shock' after being locked out of work emails at 3 a.m.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Kate Duffy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A Google engineer said he was shocked to find out he was laid off at 3 a.m. on Friday. Chris McDonald told Insider he was locked out of work accounts 20 minutes after reading the notice. Chris McDonald, who was working as a senior software engineer at Google, was one of around 12,000 employees who lost his job. McDonald then logged onto his company laptop, checked his work email, and saw the same employment notice from Google. Within 20 minutes of logging onto his laptop, he was locked out of the company system and couldn't access his work emails.

☆ Google is laying off around 12,000 workers as tech giants continue to slash jobs. Read CEO Sundar Pichai's email to staff.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Google announced Friday that it is laying off 12,000 staff, or around 6% of its global workforce. In a memo to staff Sundar Pichai, CEO of parent company Alphabet, took responsibility for the cuts. Read Pichai's full message to Google employees below. "Over the past two years we've seen periods of dramatic growth," Pichai told staff in the email. As part of that, if you are just starting your work day, please feel free to work from home today.

☆ Alphabet CEO's memo announcing layoffs does exactly what it should: address the remaining workers
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( Shana Lebowitz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

HR experts say it's critical for leaders to address remaining staffers' anxieties after layoffs. Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai's memo Friday announcing layoffs at Google is a good example of that. Pichai's reassurances might mitigate some of the unrest that can follow layoffsPichai's address to remaining employees could help ameliorate survivor syndrome. Employees remaining at a company that just conducted layoffs are likely worried about the organization's stability. Employers should also be clear with remaining employees about the reasons for the layoffs.

☆ BRUTAL JOB CUTS JANUARY: More than 55,000 tech workers are being laid off as Microsoft, Google, and others make deep cuts
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( Sindhu Sundar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Microsoft, Google, and Salesforce have all announced layoffs this year. All told, some 55,300 employees from more than a 154 tech companies have been affected this year. Microsoft said it's letting go of 10,000 workers over the next few months, while Google will let go of 12,000 employees. The layoffs foreshadow more cuts and potential pay reductions in store for workers this year. Read Insider's coverage of the latest wave of tech layoffs:Google is laying off around 12,000 workers as tech giants continue to slash jobs.

☆ Google's moonshot factory is coming down to Earth
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( Hugh Langley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

The project, known internally by its codename, "Valkyrie," was the typical science-fiction-sounding idea that Google's self-described "moonshot factory" was designed to dream up. But amid a lack of successful launches and a tech industry facing economic headwinds, insiders say the lab is now hitting the hard-reset button and rethinking its purpose within Alphabet, Google's parent company. X swapped standard corporate titles like "Communications Lead" and "Manager" for grander and more-nebulous names like "Factory Whisperer" and "Firestarter." Its internet-balloon unit, Google Loon, meant to bring people in rural areas online, was shuttered in January 2021. "I think the infusion of VC people is a good thing," one former senior X employee said.

☆ The 8 most important execs who left Google in 2022 — and the 8 who joined
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-27 | by ( Hugh Langley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

Google saw some notable new hires and departures in 2022. It was an uneven year for Google, which slowed hiring in the second half of 2022 amid fears of an incoming recession. But the revolving door at Alphabet HQ continued nonetheless, with the year seeing some notable hires and exits from the search giant. That includes the appointment of a new role in CEO Sundar Pichai's leadership team and some notable exits in the company's cloud division. Here are Google's biggest hires and exits of 2022.

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