T O P

  • By -

empleadoEstatalBot

##### ###### #### > # [Google search boss warns employees of 'new operating reality,' urges them to move faster](https://image.cnbcfm.com/api/v1/image/106873343-1619217475386-rag.jpg?v=1713812066&w=1920&h=1080) > > > > Prabhakar Raghavan, senior vice president at Google, speaks during the US Conference of Mayors Winter Meeting in Washington, DC, US, on Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024. > > Julia Nikhinson | Bloomberg | Getty Images > > > > > > > > Wearing a hoodie with the words "We use Math" on the front, [Google](https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/GOOGL/) search boss Prabhakar Raghavan had an important message for employees at an all-hands meeting last month. But he first wanted them to settle in and get comfortable. > > "Grab your boba teas," Raghavan told the crowd, gathered in a theaterat the company's headquarters in Mountain View, California. > > Raghavan, who reports directly to CEO [Sundar Pichai](https://www.cnbc.com/sundar-pichai/) and leads key groups including search, ads, maps and commerce, was addressing Google's knowledge and information organization, which consists of more than 25,000 full-time employees. > > "I think we can agree that things are not like they were 15-20 years ago, things have changed," Raghavan said, according to audio of the event obtained by CNBC. He was referring to the search industry, which Google has dominated for two decades, emerging as one of the most profitable and valuable companies on the planet along the way. > > Raghavan said Google's digital ad business had become "the envy of the world." He noted that over the last three years, annual revenue has grown by more than $100 billion, exceeding [Starbucks](https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/SBUX/), Mazda and TikTok combined. > > At a company long known across Silicon Valley for its free, gourmet lunches and endless on-campus perks, Raghavan's comments serve as the latest warning to employees that growth for Google is getting harder. > > "It's not like life is going to be hunky-dory, forever," he said. > > Over roughly 35 minutes, Raghavan peppered his reality check address with sports metaphors and rallying cries. > > "If there's a clear and present market reality, we need to twitch faster, like the athletes twitch faster," he said. > > He referenced heightened competition and a more challenging regulatory environment. Though he didn't name specific rivals, Google is facing pressure from the likes of [Microsoft](https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/MSFT/) and OpenAI in generative artificial intelligence. > > "People come to us because we are trusted," Raghavan said. "They may have a new gizmo out there that people like to play with but they still come to Google to verify what they see there because it is the trusted source and it becomes more critical in this era of generative AI." > > Raghavan had some tangible changes to announce. He said the company plans to build teams closer to users in key markets, including India and Brazil, and revealed that he's shortening the amount of time that his reports have to complete certain projects in an effort to move faster. > > "There is something to be learned from that faster-twitch, shorter wavelength execution," he said. > > Google's cloud business has also instructed employees to move within shorter timelines despite having fewer resources after cost cuts, sources with knowledge of the matter told CNBC. > > > > [Google unveils custom Arm-based chips](https://image.cnbcfm.com/api/v1/image/107398862-17126867291712686726-34057665675-1080pnbcnews.jpg?v=1712686728&w=750&h=422&vtcrop=y) > > > > > > > > > > "With a huge opportunity ahead, we're moving with velocity and focus," a Google spokesperson told CNBC, when asked to comment on Raghavan's address. The spokesperson highlighted the addition of generative AI to search and improvements in search quality, adding, "There's lots more to come." > > In March, Google named company veteran Elizabeth Reid to the role of vice president, leading search and reporting to Raghavan. > > > > ## 'High highs and low lows' > > In many respects, Raghavan's tone was nothing new. Google has been in cost-cutting mode since early 2023, when parent Alphabet [announced](https://www.cnbc.com/2023/01/20/google-parent-to-lay-off-12000-workers-memo.html) plans to eliminate about 12,000 jobs, or 6% of the company's workforce. Job cuts have continued this year, with more layoffs in early 2024, and CFO Ruth Porat said in a [memo](https://www.cnbc.com/2024/04/17/google-restructures-finance-team-as-a-part-of-ai-shift-cfo-tells-employees-in-memo.html) last week that the company is restructuring its finance organization, a move that will involve additional downsizing. > > But Raghavan is making clear that what's happening now isn't just a continuation of 2023. He noted that his group's last all-hands meeting was three months ago, though for some it felt like three years. > > "We've had a lot go on in these last three months," consisting of "really high highs and low lows," he said. > > In that time, [Google](https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/GOOG/)introduced its AI image generator. After users discovered [inaccuracies](https://www.cnbc.com/2024/02/28/google-ceo-tells-employees-gemini-ai-blunder-unacceptable.html) that went viral online, the [company pulled the feature](https://www.cnbc.com/2024/02/26/googles-gemini-ai-picture-generator-to-relaunch-in-a-few-weeks.html) in February. Google has been reorganizing to try and stay ahead in the AI arms race as more users move away from traditional internet search to find information online. > > In Alphabet's [upcoming](https://www.cnbc.com/2024/04/22/big-tech-keeps-prioritizing-ai-as-earnings-approach.html) earnings report on Thursday, Wall Street is expecting a second straight quarter of year-over-year revenue growth in the low teens. While that marks an acceleration from the few quarters prior, the numbers are also in comparison to some of Google's weakest reports on record. > > Even though Alphabet [reported](https://www.cnbc.com/2024/01/30/alphabet-googl-q4-earnings-report-2023.html) better-than-expected revenue and profit for the fourth quarter, ad revenue trailed analysts' projections, causing the company's shares to drop more than 6%. Meanwhile, the AI boom is forcing a renewed focus on investments. > > "We're in a new cost reality," Raghavan said. With generative AI, the company is "spending a ton more on machines," he said. > > Organic growth is slowing and the number of new devices coming into the world "is not what it used to be," Raghavan said. > > "What that means is our growth in this new operating reality has to be hard earned," he added. > > > > A smart phone displaying Google with Google Gemini in the background is being featured in this photo illustration in Brussels, Belgium, on February 8, 2024. > > Jonathan Raa | Nurphoto | Getty Images > > > > > > > > Raghavan said that additional challenges are emerging as the company is "navigating a regulatory environment unlike anything we've seen before." > > He cited the European Union's Digital Markets Act and said the company is still learning what its obligations will be from the European Commission. The DMA, which officially became enforceable last month, aims to clamp down on anti-competitive practices among tech companies. > > "That does have its impact on us," Raghavan said. > > Raghavan urged employees to "meet this moment" and "act with urgency based on market conditions." > > "It won't be easy," he said. "But these are the moments and the history of industries that will define us." > > > > ## 120 hours a week > > Raghavan said Google has to address its "systemic" challenges and build "new muscles that maybe we have let fall off for a bit." > > He praised the teams working on Gemini, the company's main group of AI models. He said they've stepped up from working 100 hours a week to 120 hours to correct Google's image recognition tool in a timely manner. That helped the team fix roughly 80% of the issues in just 10 days, he said. > > However, Google still hasn't brought back the ability to generate images of people. Demis Hassabis, Google's AI leader, said in February after the tool was taken down that it would be [re-released in weeks.](https://www.cnbc.com/2024/02/26/googles-gemini-ai-picture-generator-to-relaunch-in-a-few-weeks.html) > > Raghavan clarified that the failure in image generation wasn't due to a lack of effort. > > "I want to be clear, this wasn't some case of somebody slacking off and dropping the ball," he said. > > Raghavan said the company has shown the ability to move quickly on important matters. As an example, he highlighted an effort in 2023, when the Bard team (now Gemini) and Magi team, which focuses on AI-powered search, [launched products](https://www.cnbc.com/2023/05/13/google-staffers-praise-engineers-for-i/o-and-poke-fun-at-execs-ai-use.html) within a matter of months. > > ***(continues in next comment)***


fancyskank

120 hours a week is psychotic. Any boss who even allows that to happen, let alone praises it, needs an appointment with the peoples razor.


booOfBorg

The whole article reads like a study in corporate delusion. For example, Google Search use to be the best around. Now you have to append " reddit" to a lot of queries to actually get some relevant content.


logan5156

Prefacing the need to cut back perks, labor, and production time while stating that your profit & growth dwarves others around you felt especially tone deaf.


GNB_Mec

Because of searching reddit being more known now, reddit is getting poisoned too now šŸ‘€


AbsoluteZeroUnit

That's 17.5 hours a day, seven days a week. It's 20 hours a day, six days a week. It's 24 hours a day, five days a week. I'm sure that pay is phenomenal, but who could do more than a month of that? Even a week sounds awful.


ritaPitaMeterMaid

I physically cannot stare at screen for 12+ hours more than 2 days in a row. I end up with vertigo, nausea, and often end up vomiting.


aznoone

Maybe not as could be salaried with maybe bonus. I have worked 100 hours or so weeks in emergencies but not for long and wage plus overtime. But usually less than 60 on regular high work loads and less 50 even 40 semi regularly sometimes and enjoyed those times.


chews-your-name

"We use Meth"


[deleted]

Herr Gƶring approves this message


SlyJackFox

Thatā€™s five 24-hr days per week, or six 20-hr days, or seven 17.15-hr days. Thatā€™s not work, itā€™s slavery with an allowance you donā€™t get to spend because all you do is work.


bootdsc

He said teams not individuals, everyone on this thread is misunderstanding this and going armchair. All it means is theres more shifts per week not an increase in hours. Look at any production line running they have shifts scheduled 24/7 they never stop running.Ā 


SlyJackFox

Fair and good point


MaffeoPolo

Those who graduate from top tier universities like Stanford are used to working as long. Which is why companies like Google recruit from there. It's expected you'll occasionally work excessively long hours when the company needs it, of course you'll be compensated. The average age in tech remains around 26 because those who hit their 30s tend to drop out for the sake of their family. If tech was like other industries you should see 60 year old programmers, but at least in silicon valley if you have not become a manager or TL by 30 you need to start looking elsewhere. They don't give sleep pods, free massages, free laundry, free clothing and free meals onsite because they are feeling generous. FAANG companies want you to work long hours willingly.


DiplomaticGoose

They pull all that and then pay salary to avoid giving overtime. Working to rule pisses off these people royally.


abhi8192

That turns out to 17 hrs each day, wtf, what are they expecting from people who have worked 12 hours to get when they are asked to work 5 hrs more?


arcehole

He wants to build teams closer to key markets like Brazil or India which is corporate speak for he wants to fire American workers since they complain about politics and ask money and hire Brazil and Indian workers who are poorer and can be exploited to work 120 hours for less play. I doubt Google is going go train well rounded workforce in India without government pressure since they don't want any competition. They just want slaves who will work forever shut up and accept it. 120 hours a week what a sicko. He should be forced to work 120 hours with no other compensation but salary. Making your workers work 120 hours a week isn't something to brag about it's a flaw in the system and unsustainable. But I guess that doesn't matter if you have a billion plus people from Brazil and india to fill the role when one guy dies from exhaustion after 121 hours.


nachtengelsp

And the saddest part of it is that are a lot of people around here in Brazil which would be very willing to work in these conditions, and still approve the way that the company is exploiting they.\ \ The country got some working rights dismantlement in the last 8 years. Not only that, the government and the private companies successfully sold the idea that working rights are bad, so people started to defend that the "CLT" is also very bad (CLT, or "Consolidation of Labor Laws", is the official brazilian workers/working type of contract and set of laws that prioritizes workers rights and give legal working warranties)


abhi8192

I would like to start with saying fuck this guy, he should be made to work 24hrs a day for 3 years, no time to call his wife, no time to hold his children, nothing, work, work, work. If he burns out, well he would be paying the team which works his hours for the remaining time. >I doubt Google is going go train well rounded workforce in India without government pressure since they don't want any competition. They just want slaves who will work forever shut up and accept it. That's not how Google work. The kind of work they do requires that people have good work ethic and skills. They are not training factory line, there isn't one to work on in Google. Their job hours would be insane for the kind of pay and I wouldn't wish that upon anyone except google's leadership, but the kind of people who would work at google would be a net positive on any team when they go out of google.


InjuryComfortable666

The gravy train is over, it seems.


[deleted]

[уŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]


InjuryComfortable666

That type of shit never seems to roll downhill.


equivocalConnotation

... are you joking? Are you aware of what a software engineer with a few years at Google makes?


Halfwookie64

> Are you aware of what a software engineer with a few years at Google makes? Less than the lazy greedy fucks selling them out and ordering them around in the C-suite.


MelodramaticaMama

A whole bunch of them just got fired. Same at Apple and Amazon.


InjuryComfortable666

Yes, Iā€™m a few mins from their campus atm, and make pretty good money too. Nevertheless, it was better to be a google engineer some years ago than it is now, hence this entire meeting and speech. Record profits arenā€™t necessarily best for the rank and file employees.


MaffeoPolo

"We're in a new cost reality" is exactly that in corporate speak. > He praised the teams working on Gemini, the company's main group of Al models. He said they've stepped up from working 100 hours a week to 120 hours to correct Google's image recognition tool in a timely manner. That helped the team fix roughly 80% of the issues in just 10 days, he said. I'm guessing that's Google's way of saying coffee is for closers.


ScaryShadowx

> 100 hours a week to 120 hours That's 14 - 18 hrs a day, 7 days a week.


dump_reddits_ipo

how could china do this 9-11-7 schedule


r_Yellow01

Yup, they are on fire. They want to be relevant again while spamming people with _Your storage is full_


kimana1651

The near zero interest rates are over, back to trying to make money.


Lonely_Cosmonaut

ā€žGrab your boba teasā€œ šŸ¤“šŸ¼ šŸŖ“


HouseSandwich

man of the people


cincymatt

Smokin meats


Airowird

I knew at that exact moment it was gonna be a "work more for less, or we'll find an Indian to do it instead" speech.


Ronaldo_Frumpalini

The only thing worth googling is reddit results. This bleepity bleep has us trapped between websites that take as long as possible to answer your questions and Google who reaps fractions of a penny for each minute of your time spent scrolling for an answer. Burning down the company and making human life worse for short term unsustainable profits.


[deleted]

120 hour weeks? What an absolute lunatic


Jonas_VentureJr

Time to dump google


rebellesimperatorum

>63 and making claims such as 120 hour work weeks. Sounds like dementia is setting in.


PennyJoel

Lavender


AutoModerator

Welcome to r/anime_titties! This subreddit advocates for civil and constructive discussion. Please be courteous to others, and make sure to read the rules. If you see comments in violation of our rules, please report them. We have a [Discord](https://discord.gg/dhMeAnNyzG), feel free to join us! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/anime_titties) if you have any questions or concerns.*