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[1/3] Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai speaks at the Google I/O 2023 conference, in Mountain View, California, U.S., May 10, 2023. Called the Search Generative Experience, the revamped Google can craft responses to open-ended queries while retaining its recognizable list of links to the Web. "We are reimagining all of our core products, including search," Sundar Pichai, Alphabet's CEO, said after he took the stage at the event. Generative AI can, using past data, create brand new content like fully formed text, images and software code. WHAT OUTFIT TO WEARWith the embedded AI, Google still looks and acts like its familiar empty search bar.

Customers are applying Google's technology in ways both expected, such as a customer-service chatbot for Uber, and unusual, including AI to handle drive-thru orders at a Wendy's Co (WEN.O) fast-food restaurant in Ohio. Its cloud division posted its first-ever operating profit last quarter, and the AI technology that Google pioneered may help it narrow the gap with bigger players Amazon.com Inc (AMZN.O) and Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O). And it is exploring if Google's AI can craft research drawing from economic data, market reports and other content, to give the bank's customers and staff, said Leukert. Other companies using the technology include Adore Me, the Victoria's Secret unit drafting ad copy with AI in Google Docs, Kurian said. Reporting by Jeffrey Dastin in Mountain View, California Editing by Matthew LewisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Watch CNBC's full interview with Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailWatch CNBC's full interview with Google Cloud CEO Thomas KurianGoogle Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian joins 'Closing Bell Overtime' to discuss today's Google I/O event, the state of the cloud market, and Google's investments in A.I.

☆ As customers start using Google A.I., they will buy into it: Google Cloud CEO
▼ + 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 EmailAs customers start using Google A.I., they will buy into it: Google Cloud CEOGoogle Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian joins 'Closing Bell Overtime' to discuss today's Google I/O event, the state of the cloud market, and Google's investments in A.I.

☆ Google Cloud boss Kurian's rocky path to profit: 'We were not in a very good situation'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-29 | by ( Jordan Novet | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +10 min

Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian, right, arrives on stage as Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai exits during the Google Cloud Next event in San Francisco on April 9, 2019. Earlier this week, Alphabet said Google's cloud unit generated $191 million in operating profit, after losing a total of $4 billion in 2021 and 2022. Under Kurian's predecessor, VMware co-founder Diane Greene, critics said Google's cloud business hadn't matured enough to handle enterprises even as it was investing heavily to do so. The cloud division includes the Google Cloud Platform, which competes with Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure, and the Google Workspace productivity software bundle that goes head-to-head with Microsoft Office. Google Cloud technology chief Will Grannis said Kurian's commitment to improving the division's offerings was evident right away.

☆ Google is bringing AI chat to Gmail and Docs
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Jordan Novet | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Google is deepening its push into generative artificial intelligence, introducing features Tuesday that will let users create text in Gmail and Docs using the company's AI technology. The company is testing the AI products and making them accessible for a limited number of users of Workspace, which includes Gmail and Google's productivity tools. Microsoft, a major investor in OpenAI, will discuss AI and productivity software at an online event hosted on LinkedIn on Thursday. Google said that later this year it plans to bring out additional AI features to Workspace, including formula generation in Sheets, automatically generated images in Slides and note-taking in Meet. Last month, Google said it will add AI features to its dominant internet search engine.

☆ Google got a pandemic boost for its Workspace software but blew it, insiders say. Now it plans to attack Microsoft with a new push in AI.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Rosalie Chan | Hugh Langley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian spent much of his time at a partner meeting talking about Workspace, tweeted Tony Safoian, CEO of Google Cloud partner SADA Systems. "Around the globe, more than nine million paying organizations, and more than three billion users rely on Google Workspace for communication and collaboration. Other major customers like Deutsche Bank use Google Cloud for cloud infrastructure, but Microsoft Office for collaboration software. Forty-four percent of software procurers whose organization plans to or currently uses Microsoft's collaboration software also use Google Workspace, according to the 2022 Forrester study. While Google Cloud is still unprofitable, it has decreased losses to $480 million, down from $890 million last year.

☆ Google unveils 'magic wand' to draft documents as AI race tightens
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Jeffrey Dastin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

"This next phase is where we're bringing human beings to be supported with an AI collaborator, who is working in real time," Thomas Kurian, Chief Executive of Google Cloud, said in a press briefing. Google said customers can fine-tune its AI model with their own data while keeping the information and benefits proprietary. Google aims for its AI to "transform" the work of marketers, lawyers, scientists and educators, according to the video. The Mountain View, California-based company announced a partnership with high-profile AI research lab Midjourney, with Google to provide cloud infrastructure including its custom "TPU" chips. Kurian said Google remains "deeply committed to responsible AI," giving controls to customers and reviewing proper use of its products.

☆ Google Workspace, its office software suite, hits 9 million paying organizations
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Rosalie Chan | Hugh Langley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Google Workspace, formerly known as G Suite, now has over 9 million paying organizations. Workspace announced Tuesday that it will start rolling out more generative AI features. Now, it's also rolling out new AI features across the Workspace suite. Workspace's biggest competitor is Microsoft Office, whose Office 365 product has 345 million paid commercial seats as of last year and has a stronghold among large enterprise customers. Workspace's latest push into generative AI, as well as its cloud-first products, could help give it an edge.

☆ Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian gave a fiery speech on AI during an internal town hall
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-03 | by ( Diamond Naga Siu | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

I'm digging deep to feel the inner Elon that Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff apparently experiences. In an exclusive interview with my colleagues Ashley Stewart and Ellen Thomas, Benioff said executives are all currently asking themselves: "Do they need to unleash their own Elon within them?" Leaked audio reveals Google Cloud CEO giving a fiery speech on AI. During an internal town hall, Thomas Kurian slammed people for saying Google is late to the AI competition. Media companies are eyeing a big payout from Big Tech for using their content this way.

☆ Leaked audio shows Google Cloud CEO giving a fiery rallying cry and calling out demeaning competitors in AI: 'The game is never done in the first minute'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Eugene Kim | Hugh Langley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian last month reiterated the company's commitment to AI. Google is in a tough spot as competition in AI chatbots heats up with ChatGPT and Microsoft. I would tell you this is the very first minute of a new game, and the game is never done in the first minute. Google CEO Sundar Pichai has asked employees to commit two to four hours to training Bard, which further indicates the urgency with which it's moving. Some Google employees have internally mocked the Bard announcement and expressed frustration over the added work in testing the AI chatbot, Insider previously reported.

☆ Google tells employees in its Cloud unit to share desks and attend the office on alternate days
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Google Cloud staff have been asked to share desks and attend the office on alternate days. A Google spokesperson told Insider the move would allow it to use its spaces more efficiently. The decision will apply to Google Cloud staff in the division's five largest US locations – including New York City and San Francisco – with some buildings left empty as a result, an internal FAQ seen by CNBC showed. Google Cloud CEO, Thomas Kurian, told employees last month the division would continue to "invest for growth." A Google spokesperson told Insider: "Our data show Cloud Googlers value guaranteed in-person collaboration when they are in the office, as well as the option to work from home a few days each week.

☆ Uber Signs Cloud Deals With Google and Oracle
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Belle Lin | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +5 min

Over 95% of Uber’s IT is currently housed in those data centers, he said. Uber declined to comment on how it plans to spread its data and applications between Google and Oracle’s cloud platforms. While Uber and Google have an existing partnership, the new cloud deal brings them closer together in other areas including launching new services, said Google Cloud Chief Executive Thomas Kurian. With Oracle, Uber is planning to integrate its freight business into Oracle’s cloud-based enterprise resource planning system, as well as other database-related projects, said Oracle Cloud Executive Vice President Clay Magouyrk. Mr. Zargahi said Uber eventually expects the cloud to cost less than its data centers, and will not renew certain data center leases as it moves to the cloud.

☆ Uber, Spurred by Hardware Supply Disruptions, Moves to Multiple Cloud Providers
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Belle Lin | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +3 min

Over 95% of Uber’s IT is currently housed in those data centers, he said. Uber declined to comment on how it plans to spread its data and applications between Google and Oracle’s cloud platforms. PREVIEWA tipping point came during the Covid-19 pandemic, when supply-chain disruptions pushed IT hardware delivery timelines to more than 12 months, according to Mr. Zargahi. Mr. Zargahi said Uber eventually expects the cloud to cost less than its data centers, and won’t renew certain data center leases as it moves to the cloud. With Oracle, Uber also is planning to integrate its freight business into Oracle’s cloud-based enterprise resource planning system, as well as other database-related projects, said Oracle Cloud Executive Vice President Clay Magouyrk.

☆ Cloud firm NetApp to cut 8% of global workforce amid tech layoffs
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Jan 31 (Reuters) - NetApp Inc (NTAP.O) said on Tuesday it would cut roughly 960 jobs, or about 8% of its global workforce, as the cloud data management firm grapples with tough economic conditions that have crimped customer spending. U.S. companies have been downsizing and slashing costs to better cope with the global economic downturn after global central banks unleashed rapid interest rate hikes to tackle inflation. We are not immune to these challenges," NetApp Chief Executive George Kurian said in a letter to employees. Earlier in the day, software maker Workday Inc (WDAY.O) also announced plans to cut 3% of its more than 15,000 staff. Reporting by Samrhitha Arunasalam in Bengaluru; Editing by Devika SyamnathOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Google CEO defends job cuts in animated town hall as employees demand clarity on process
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( Jennifer Elias | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Google CEO Sundar Pichai led the companywide meeting and told employees that executives will see their bonuses cut. "I understand you are worried about what comes next for your work," Pichai said. Prior to the job cuts, Google had made the decision to pay out 80% of bonuses this month with the rest expected in March or April. Thomas Kurian, the CEO of Google Cloud, offered some perspective on the areas that saw cuts. Last month, Google employees asked executives at an all-hands meeting whether the AI chatbot ChatGPT represents a "missed opportunity" for Google."

☆ Read the memo that Google's cloud boss Thomas Kurian sent to the unit as the company lays off 12,000
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( Rosalie Chan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian sent a memo to staff addressing the layoffs. As Google lays off 12,000 employees, its cloud boss Thomas Kurian sent a memo to employees within the unit to address the cuts. Google has viewed Google Cloud as a major driver of growth to provide an alternative source of revenue to supplement its massive advertising business. "We are sincerely grateful for the contributions each of these people have made to our business," Kurian wrote in a memo to Cloud employees. A Google Cloud spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

☆ These are the most important executives who joined Google Cloud in 2022 — and the ones who left
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Ellen Thomas | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Below is a list of the key executives who left Google Cloud in 2022 — and the most important new hires. At Google Cloud, Gearhart was responsible for the Google Cloud Platform and Google Workspace channel business around the world, according to her LinkedIn profile. Exit: Frank BienBien, a Looker vice president, left Google Cloud in February, two years after Google acquired the data-analytics company for $2.4 billion. A nearly 20-year Microsoft veteran, Jester joined Google Cloud in 2019 as part of an executive hiring spree initiated by Kurian, who had recently taken the helm of Google Cloud. Hire: Kevin MandiaMandia, Mandiant's CEO and cofounder, joined Google Cloud in September after Google completed its $5.4 billion acquisition of his cybersecurity firm.

☆ Which Twitter alternatives have staying power — and which is the next Clubhouse?
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-27 | by ( Jordan Parker Erb | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

For the rest of the week, in addition to the day's top stories, I'll be highlighting some of the year's biggest investigations, features, and more from Insider's tech reporters. Today, we're taking a look back on everything from employee angst at Amazon to Thomas Kurian's three-year reign at Google Cloud. Which Twitter alternatives have staying power — and which is the next Clubhouse? See which Twitter alternatives could make it out alive. We gave readers an inside look at Kurian's Google Cloud.

☆ DIY retailer Kingfisher partners with Google Cloud to boost e-commerce
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Paul Sandle | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Nov 29 (Reuters) - European home improvement retailer Kingfisher (KGF.L) has agreed a five-year partnership with Google Cloud , a move it said should provide customers with faster and more intuitive searches, and better tailor product ranges. The company, which owns DIY brands B&Q and Castorama, and trade-focused Screwfix and TradePoint, increased online sales during the pandemic when stores were closed and customers spent more on home improvements. E-commerce sales were up 138% over three years in its third quarter, it said this month. Kingfisher, a long-time user of SAP software, had started moving its legacy data to Google Cloud, where it could be used to test new online concepts and improve the efficiency of deliveries such as its less-than-one-hour Screwfix 'Sprint' service. Google Cloud Chief Executive Thomas Kurian said its technology was helping customers identify product using image search, or by answering questions posed in imprecise terms.

☆ Microsoft launches Designer, its answer to highly valued startup Canva
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( Jordan Novet | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Microsoft is launching a simple graphic design app called Designer that will be available for free and as part of Office productivity software subscriptions, the company said Wednesday. Microsoft has sought to demonstrate the value of Office subscriptions by adding new capabilities, and earlier this year it raised the prices of some bundles aimed at businesses. With its Designer app, Microsoft is initially aiming at consumers, a spokesperson told CNBC in an email. The launch of Designer might also make Microsoft bump up against Adobe , which fields the free Adobe Express tool that features templates and stock images. Once the app becomes generally available, Microsoft will maintain a free tier, along with a premium version for those with Microsoft 365 Personal and Microsoft 365 Family subscriptions, the spokesperson said.

☆ Google selects Coinbase to take cloud payments with cryptocurrencies and will use its custody tool
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-11 | by ( Jordan Novet | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Google said Tuesday that it will rely on Coinbase to start letting some customers pay for cloud services with cryptocurrencies early in 2023, while Coinbase said it would draw on Google's cloud infrastructure. Over time, Google will allow many more customers to make payments with cryptocurrency, Zavery said. Google had previously indicated in May that it was exploring the possibility of adding support for payments with digital currencies. Blockchain technologies such as nonfungible tokens, or NFTs, have become a bigger focus for Google's cloud division. Previously, Google's cloud chief, Thomas Kurian, has pushed for growth in major industries such as media and retail.

☆ Google and Amazon ignore employee protests and plow ahead with deals involving the US military, ICE, and CBP
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( Caroline Haskins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Google and Amazon used third parties for contracts with DHS and DOD agencies in the past year. Their dissent has been largely ignored, according to an Insider review of contracts involving Google and Amazon. In the same time frame, Amazon used third parties to work with DHS agencies at least 28 times, including at least 14 contracts with CBP. As Insider previously reported, these companies have used third parties to work with CBP as well as Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Google and Amazon employees have a history of speaking out against their companies' work with the military and immigration enforcement.

☆ 8 companies Amazon, Microsoft, or Google might buy as they shop for deals amid the market downturn, including Workday, Unity, and Roku
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-15 | by ( Belle Lin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

That means Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud could be poised for a merger-and-acquisition spree. As for cloud acquisitions, analysts said Amazon's cloud unit didn't often buy companies. Cybersecurity has been a greater focus for Microsoft, AWS, and Google Cloud after the hack of the IT-software company SolarWinds in 2020. In 2019, Google purchased the data-analytics company Looker for $2.6 billion in cash under Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian. With Kurian at the helm, bringing with him the Oracle acquisition playbook, Google Cloud may now have a bigger M&A appetite.

☆ The executive running Oracle's tattered marketing group, called 'the hatchet man' by some employees, is tasked with cutting costs, insiders say
▼ + stars: | 2022-08-26 | by ( Belle Lin | Ryan Joe | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Oracle's marketing team "imploded" following layoffs and the departure of its CMO this summer. A source told Insider that means salespeople will be selling products to sectors they never had before, including healthcare, which is now a key focus with Cerner. Plus, products like Oracle's cloud infrastructure face competition from tech giants like Amazon, making marketing a key lever in that fight. That morning, nearly 50% of some marketing groups received phone calls that they were being laid off, including Kelman's senior staff, multiple sources told Insider. Oracle's marketing structure, as it once was, is gone.

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