Google cites 'durable cost savings' as CEO Sundar Pichai warns of more layoffs

#1

Post by pg_1234 » Mon, Jan 22, 2024, 4:01 PM UTC

Google cites 'durable cost savings' as CEO Sundar Pichai warns of more layoffs
nypost.com

Re: Google cites 'durable cost savings' as CEO Sundar Pichai warns of more layoffs

#2

Post by itsoktocry » Mon, Jan 22, 2024, 4:40 PM UTC

Google is still a juggernaut BUT...

I don't think anyone here would claim competitor's "AI" isn't going to take a chunk of their search market, would they? Search quality was diminishing for the past few years as it is, but there was no real alternative. Now I'm using ChatGPT as much (or more) than Google. Almost everything about Google Search is mediocre.

Re: Google cites 'durable cost savings' as CEO Sundar Pichai warns of more layoffs

#3

Post by ejb999 » Mon, Jan 22, 2024, 4:42 PM UTC

itsoktocry wrote: post #2

Google is still a juggernaut BUT... I don't think anyone here would claim competitor's "AI" isn't going to take a chunk of their search market, would they? Search quality was diminishing for the past few years as it is, but there was no real alternative. Now I'm using ChatGPT as much (or more) than Google. Almost everything about Google Search is mediocre.

I agree, google has been coasting way to long on past successes - they are ripe for smaller/nimbler/newer companies to start chipping away at their revenues.

Re: Google cites 'durable cost savings' as CEO Sundar Pichai warns of more layoffs

#4

Post by AirMax98 » Mon, Jan 22, 2024, 4:44 PM UTC

itsoktocry wrote: post #2

Google is still a juggernaut BUT... I don't think anyone here would claim competitor's "AI" isn't going to take a chunk of their search market, would they? Search quality was diminishing for the past few years as it is, but there was no real alternative. Now I'm using ChatGPT as much (or more) than Google. Almost everything about Google Search is mediocre.

Github Copilot was the real killer for me. I would say around 80% of the time I no longer have to leave my IDE for trivial problems (e.g. I no longer Google the regex) that I'd otherwise just rip from Stack Overflow.

Re: Google cites 'durable cost savings' as CEO Sundar Pichai warns of more layoffs

#5

Post by zug_zug » Mon, Jan 22, 2024, 4:46 PM UTC

itsoktocry wrote: post #2

Google is still a juggernaut BUT... I don't think anyone here would claim competitor's "AI" isn't going to take a chunk of their search market, would they? Search quality was diminishing for the past few years as it is, but there was no real alternative. Now I'm using ChatGPT as much (or more) than Google. Almost everything about Google Search is mediocre.

Well, I would argue that if the company had the gumption to do a 180 (on short-term spam/enshit/ads) they are the best placed company to revitalize and still dominate the search market 5 years from now.

It's really hard to argue they don't have everything they would need to build the best product on a technical level - information, AI-talent, capital. But somehow we all know they are going to kill the golden goose for a quick feast.

Re: Google cites 'durable cost savings' as CEO Sundar Pichai warns of more layoffs

#6

Post by SoftTalker » Mon, Jan 22, 2024, 4:49 PM UTC

itsoktocry wrote: post #2

Google is still a juggernaut BUT... I don't think anyone here would claim competitor's "AI" isn't going to take a chunk of their search market, would they? Search quality was diminishing for the past few years as it is, but there was no real alternative. Now I'm using ChatGPT as much (or more) than Google. Almost everything about Google Search is mediocre.

Why do you think ChatGPT will stay free of ads, SEO-spam, tracking, profiling, all the stuff that's wrong with traditional search?

Re: Google cites 'durable cost savings' as CEO Sundar Pichai warns of more layoffs

#7

Post by wantsanagent » Mon, Jan 22, 2024, 4:49 PM UTC

https://www.macrotrends.net/stocks/charts/GOOG/alphabet/net-...

Nearly $20B in profit in a quarter? Good time for layoffs.

Re: Google cites 'durable cost savings' as CEO Sundar Pichai warns of more layoffs

#8

Post by whywhywhywhy » Mon, Jan 22, 2024, 4:50 PM UTC

Can anyone name one thing of value this dude has actually done in his time in charge.

Feel in a few years he's gonna have a worse reputation than Ballmer in terms of squandering potential.

Re: Google cites 'durable cost savings' as CEO Sundar Pichai warns of more layoffs

#9

Post by anon291 » Mon, Jan 22, 2024, 4:50 PM UTC

What does Google even do anymore? I can't think of any innovation they've made in the past five years or so? Anyone?

Re: Google cites 'durable cost savings' as CEO Sundar Pichai warns of more layoffs

#10

Post by andsoitis » Mon, Jan 22, 2024, 4:52 PM UTC

itsoktocry wrote: post #2

Google is still a juggernaut BUT... I don't think anyone here would claim competitor's "AI" isn't going to take a chunk of their search market, would they? Search quality was diminishing for the past few years as it is, but there was no real alternative. Now I'm using ChatGPT as much (or more) than Google. Almost everything about Google Search is mediocre.

I’ve mostly switched to Bard, which I find superior to ChatGPT. More nuanced for most of the questions and conversations I have and I especially appreciate them linking out to sources!