Google moves Gemini app team to DeepMind

(Reuters) – 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 change “will improve feedback loops and enable rapid 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 led by 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 will work closely with Pichai.

Raghavan’s role as head of the knowledge and information team will be taken on by Nick Fox, who has worked closely with Google on its AI product roadmap.

(Reporting by Harshita Mary Varghese in Bengaluru; Editing by Alan Barona)