Eric Schmidt Walks Back Claim Google Is Behind on AI Because of Remote Work
msn.comGoogle is behind because top talent doesn't want to work for Google anymore. There's a reason the transformers crew left.
Turns out if you create a culture where the wrong incentives get you recognized/promoted, you start treating your workers like crap, and you create immense siloing but also require consensus for major decisions it leads to bad outcomes.
Just seconding this as someone who'd been there for over 10yrs and left this last year for those precise reasons. Many of my peers left at the same time and we're quite frequently getting incoming interviews from others who still remain there. Very disappointing :(
> Google is behind because top talent doesn't want to work for Google anymore.
Hasn't there always been a cycle where well paid Googlers leave the company for a chance to make kajillions (instead of guaranteed millions), but often return to Google on their own or through acquisition? The AI boom has put dollar signs in many people's eyes.
The return to office / hybrid mandates are all about control. For me, I get more done at home than I do in the office. On days I work from home, I’m more likely to sign on early and sign off later because I’m not commuting; when I’m in the office, it’s a hard cut-off at 5pm to catch the train home. Also, when I’m at home, I don’t have incessant coworker chatter going on around me to distract or irritate me. Working from home is a benefit to my employer, and they are just too blind to see that.
Schmidt said: "Google decided that work-life balance and going home early and working from home was more important than winning. The reason startups work is because the people work like hell."
Which is complete bullshit of course.
And his so-called apology is equally bullshit: "I misspoke about Google and their work hours. I regret my error."
The article goes on to say "Schmidt said he asked for the video to be taken down."
Don't dish it out if you can't take it, asshole.
I agree. He did not misspeak. He said exactly what he believes, and he's now being called out for it.
How about his claim that AI companies should just steal everyone's IP then pay the lawyers to clean up the mess after the fact?
Exactly! That was more relevant and critical than his opinion on Google's smart working. Plus, his view of EU and his attempts to "fix the AI Act".