Google's AI Chief On Teaching Computers To Learn–And The Challenges Ahead

After the keynote, I caught up with Google senior VP of engineering John Giannandrea–who, though he didn't appear onstage, is deeply involved in all of the above efforts and others as the company's lead for AI. "Last year, we talked about becoming an AI-first company and people weren't entirely sure what we meant," he told me. At I/O, Google announced Google.ai–which is maybe less of an actual thing than a statement (and accompanying website) designed to remind the world of the company's ambitious and far-flung efforts in AI. Giannandrea calls it "an umbrella brand" that shows off Google's work in hopes of inspiring others to build upon it. "We're saying, 'Come use this amazing stuff, see what you can do," he explains.