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Google is pushing its workers to work 60 hours every week, calling it the “sweet spot of productivity” in its race to develop synthetic basic intelligence or AGI. According to inner memos from Google co-founder Sergey Brin, obtained by The New York Times, the corporate is accelerating efforts to attain AGI — a sophisticated type of AI able to performing duties as flexibly and successfully as a human.
Google’s effort to create AGI is resulting in tradition modifications for Google workers. In his memo, Brin emphasised that the corporate should “turbocharge” its efforts, signaling a shift in office expectations.
This cultural shift aligns with broader trade tendencies, as different generative AI corporations are additionally decided to rework their chatbot merchandise into AGI. OpenAI is devoted to the secure creation of AGI, which it now defines as any system that generates $100 billion in income. Chinese retail big Alibaba Group Holding declared AGI a prime precedence earlier this month.
Brin’s imaginative and prescient: The last race to AGI
“Competition has accelerated immensely and the final race to A.G.I. is afoot,” Brin wrote. “I think we have all the ingredients to win this race, but we are going to have to turbocharge our efforts.”
In June 2024, Google’s DeepMind put out a paper defining “progress on the path to AGI.” They outlined merchandise like ChatGPT and Gemini as “emerging AGI” versus “competent AGI,” which has not but been achieved. “Competent AGI” would take a look at among the many 50th percentile of expert adults in duties like coding.
60-hour work week and Google’s workplace mandates
Google’s official coverage requires workers to work within the workplace three days every week. For Brin, turbocharging work seems like “being in the office at least every weekday,” in keeping with The New York Times report. For Googlers working straight on bringing Gemini AI fashions and apps to life, “60 hours a week is the sweet spot of productivity,” Brin mentioned.
“A number of folks work less than 60 hours and a small number put in the bare minimum to get by,” Brin wrote. “This last group is not only unproductive but also can be highly demoralizing to everyone else.”
Return-to-office insurance policies have been a contentious effort to convey enterprise again to a pre-pandemic establishment. Some argue that in-office work is extra productive, whereas others argue the identical for distant work that eliminates pricey commutes and workplace area.
However, Brin really helpful workers work not more than 60 hours per week to keep away from burnout. In the U.S., federal regulation mandates extra time pay for any work exceeding 40 hours per week.
Using Gemini for coding as a way to prepare the AI
Beyond prolonged work hours, Brin additionally urged workers to make use of Google’s personal Gemini AI to reinforce productiveness and not directly prepare the AI mannequin. He recommended that utilizing the chatbot for coding might enhance its capabilities, doubtlessly advancing Google’s path to AGI.
On February 25, Google inked a take care of Salesforce to make use of Salesforce AI brokers on Google Cloud and combine Gemini into the AI market Agentforce.
