Google is merging two important teams to "turbocharge Android and Chrome", says Sundar Pichai

It’s all about AI these days, right? So it comes as no surprise to see Google merging its two major teams — Android and Devices — keeping AI at the centre of it all. Sundar Pichai, CEO, Google, said that AI gives the company a chance to reimagine computing platforms not just for today or tomorrow but for the next 10 years. “To truly drive computing forward, we need to do it at the intersection of hardware, software and AI,” said Pichai on the reason why the merging of teams is taking place. The new team will be called Platform and Devices.

Furthermore, Pichai revealed that Google Research teams focused on computational photography and on-device intelligence will also be joining the new team to bring deep AI expertise across platforms and devices. According to Pichai, merging the two teams will hep deliver better products and experience. “It will help us turbocharge the Android and Chrome ecosystems, and bring the best innovations to partners faster — as we did with Circle to Search with Samsung,” said Pichai in a blog post. He also added that it internally, it will also speed up decision-making in the organisation.

Rick Osterloh, senior vice president of devices and services, will lead the new team’s hardware initiatives. Pichai also revealed that Hiroshi Lockheimer, head of Android and Chrome, will move to take other roles at Google and Alphabet.

In an interview with The Verge, Osterloh echoed Pichai’s words and said Google will be be able to integrate AI across all of its products with the combined efforts of the new team. Google has been integrating AI in most of its apps, products and services for a while now. For instance, the Pixel camera’s computational photography features or integration of Gemini AI in Gmail or Chrome.