The future of the Google Assistant has been called into question as evidence mounts that the division may be in trouble. The latest news from CNBC’s Jennifer Elias reveals that the Google Assistant division has been “reshuffled” to prioritize Bard, a new tool that provides developers with a more streamlined interface for building conversational AI, over the Google Assistant.
According to Elias, insiders claim that the move has left the Google Assistant team feeling demoralized and uncertain about their future. The reshuffling has reportedly resulted in team members being reassigned to work on Bard, leaving the Google Assistant without the resources it needs to thrive.
This news comes on the heels of a series of setbacks for the Google Assistant division. In 2021, the company announced that it was discontinuing its AI-powered chatbot, Google Duplex, which had been a key component of the Assistant’s functionality. Additionally, the Assistant’s voice recognition and natural language processing capabilities have been criticized for falling behind its competitors, like Amazon’s Alexa and Apple’s Siri.
Despite these challenges, Google has remained committed to the Assistant, investing heavily in its development and expanding its capabilities to new devices and languages. However, the recent reshuffling raises questions about whether this commitment is waning.
The Google Assistant has been a major player in the rapidly growing market for virtual assistants, which is expected to reach $30 billion by 2026. Its decline could have significant implications for Google’s broader strategy and competitiveness in the tech industry.
As of now, Google has not commented on the reports of the reshuffling, leaving the fate of the Google Assistant uncertain. However, insiders and industry analysts will be closely watching for any further signs of trouble in the coming weeks and months.
