Google has made a leadership change in its AI division, replacing Sissie Hsiao, who led the development of its AI chatbot, Gemini (formerly known as Bard). The company announced the decision on Wednesday, stating that Josh Woodward will take over her role.
Woodward, who currently leads Google Labs, played a key role in launching NotebookLM, an AI-powered tool that can transform text into a podcast-like experience. He will now oversee the future of Gemini while continuing to lead Google Labs.
Sissie Hsiao is stepping down immediately but plans to return to Google in a different capacity after a short break, according to a company spokesperson. She has yet to publicly comment on the transition.
Demis Hassabis, CEO of Google DeepMind, highlighted in an internal memo that this change will allow Google to focus more on the evolution of the Gemini app. This move is part of a broader effort by Google to streamline its AI research and development.
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Over the past year, Google has restructured its AI teams to stay ahead in the rapidly evolving generative AI race. The Gemini project, initially handled by Google’s core AI division, was shifted to Google DeepMind in 2023. This decision aimed to consolidate efforts and ensure a more strategic approach to AI development.
Under Woodward’s leadership, Google is expected to push further into multimodal AI, expanding Gemini’s capabilities beyond chatbots into areas like AI-assisted creativity, search, and enterprise applications.
This leadership shakeup comes at a time when Google is competing fiercely with OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Microsoft’s Copilot, and Meta’s AI models. As AI adoption grows, Google is under pressure to keep Gemini at the forefront of the industry.
With Woodward at the time, the next phase of Gemini’s development will likely focus on improving user experience, expanding integrations, and increasing Gemini’s role in Google’s ecosystem, from Android devices to enterprise tools.
