Mark Zuckerberg once said Facebook should “move fast and break things” when it was new. This meant not worrying too much about the rules, so they could change things quickly as technology advanced. Google seems to have taken this approach too, as it tries to be a leader in artificial intelligence (AI). But Google is moving so fast that it is breaking a lot of things and upsetting users.
Google recently had to stop one AI feature from making inappropriate or wrong pictures. This embarrassed Google and even one of its founders admitted they “messed up”. Google also said its new Pixel 8 phone won’t get an AI feature called Gemini Nano, even though it was promised. Only the more expensive Pixel 8 Pro will get it. Gemini Nano is also coming to phones from Samsung and other companies, not Google’s Pixel phones. Google isn’t clearly explaining which AI features different products will get either.
Google also quickly launched a chatbot called Bard last year without much planning. At first, Bard struggled with simple questions and math problems. Google has improved it since then, but the rushed start was a mistake. Google rebranded some AI tools, like Bard and Gemini, confusingly too. Customers and businesses don’t know which version does what or what subscription they need.
Breaking products and not communicating plans well risks upsetting people. Artificial intelligence requires extra care since it can make unfair or incorrect decisions if not developed responsibly. “Moving fast and breaking things” is not a good approach. Google is already behind rivals like OpenAI in AI leadership. If Google does not learn from its mistakes, it may damage its reputation and fall further behind in the important field of artificial intelligence.
