Sergey Brin Urges AI Team to Increase Efforts and Stop Creating Overly Cautious Products

In recent years, it has become clear that Google co-founder Sergey Brin has returned to the forefront of the company. This week, he sent a strong message to employees in Google’s DeepMind AI division, highlighting the urgency of the race towards artificial general intelligence (AGI).

Brin emphasized in his internal memo, which has been reported on widely, that the company has made significant progress over the past two years with its Gemini program. However, he pointed out that competition has intensified and urged his team to accelerate their efforts. "We have come a long way in that time with many efforts we should feel very proud of," he stated, underscoring the urgency of enhancing productivity.

In his note, Brin recommended that the AI teams work longer hours. He suggested that 60 hours a week is the optimal amount for productivity, advising employees to work from the office at least every weekday. He stressed the importance of being physically present with colleagues to foster better communication.

Brin also called for simpler solutions to technical problems, arguing against unnecessary complexities in product development. He expressed a strong desire for Google’s AI products to be efficient and effective, noting, "We can’t keep building nanny products." This phrase suggests that he believes the company’s products are too filtered and restricted, preventing users from fully utilizing their potential.

While his memo was directed to a small group of AI researchers at DeepMind, it carries weight as it comes from Brin, who has no official day-to-day role but retains influence as a board member. Some employees have noted the irony of his request for longer work hours, considering that Brin and co-founder Larry Page stepped back from day-to-day operations in 2019, prior to the current surge in AI development.

The full contents of Brin’s note included key principles for the team’s evolution:
1. **Code Matters Most** - Emphasizing the importance of strong coding to enhance AI capabilities.
2. **Location** - Advocating for a collaborative work environment in the office.
3. **Simplicity** - Encouraging straightforward solutions to enhance product development.
4. **Excellence** - Ensuring all products and dashboards function effectively.
5. **Speed** - Urging teams to focus on fast execution in their work.
6. **Small Scale Iteration** - Testing ideas through small scale experiments before broader implementation.
7. **No Punting** - Moving away from overly cautious approaches in product development.

Brin’s message indicates a pressing shift in the DeepMind division's culture and priorities, as they race to compete effectively in the AGI landscape.

AI, productivity, competition