Exciting time for AI. A little competition from OpenAI is finally forcing google AI researchers to actually focus on real world applications instead of just publishing papers and patting themselves on the back.
"Just publishing paper" is such an ignorant and dismissive attitude to one of the most significant contributors to AI development in the world. Without Google research and publication, OpenAI would not have the foundation to build its GPT to the current level.
If anything it allowed competitors to raise above Google.
PS: Not saying Deepmind's research is not worthy, nor that this is fair. Just that it appears that Alphabet/Google (and by extension Deepmind) is being reminded that its main goal is making money.
Search is being ruined by the pursuit of maximizing ad revenue but AI research is being wasted because it's not used in pursuit of maximizing revenue. Can't really win, huh? There should be nothing but gratitude that Google uses its ad revenue to pay for research that greatly benefits everyone.
Right, and shareholders are asking Sundar "Why is OpenAI launching our product and taking our (massive) commercial success?"
Honestly I think Sundar should be let go over this, he should have been let go years ago, but now I definitely don't see what leadership sees in him. The dude is a better fit for running General Mills than a tech company. No innovation, just sell the same thing over and over.