Google scales the 120 area down to half, and focuses again on ‘AI-first’ projects

Google is scaling its experimental Area 120 division down in half, refocusing the group on “AI-first” projects.

Since 2016, Area 120 has served as Google’s “in-house incubator”, allowing employees to build on experimental ideas full-time instead of their “20% time”. The department has been responsible for features we now take for granted, such as smart replies on Android, as well as features that can go unnoticed like GameSnacks in Android Auto and Chrome.

Today, TechCrunch reported that Google is massively downsizing Area 120, where the number of employees has been cut in half. Similarly, while Area 120 was previously home to 14 pilot projects, this has been cut down to just seven, with the remaining projects being cancelled.

The Google employees who have lost their position in Area 120 were told on Tuesday that they have until the end of January 2023 to find a new position at Google. This is a common practice when Google is scaling back or winding down a division, as seen when Stadia Games and Entertainment shut down last year.

Of the seven Area 120 projects that were canceled, only one — Qaya, a web storefront creation tool — was launched publicly. Three canceled projects included pro-climate projects such as a map of EV charging stations, a carbon accounting tool and a way to measure forest carbon. The other three were said to be a procurement project, an analytics tool for AR and VR, and an accounting project for Google Sheets.

Look forward to, TechCrunch cited Area 120 lead Elias Roman as refocusing the division on “AI-first projects” instead of its previous broad ambitions. An Area 120 project that appears to still be in development, the recent “Aloud” app that seamlessly dubs YouTube videos into multiple languages ​​may serve as a clue to what kinds of AI and machine learning ideas Google is looking to continue.

The downsizing of the Area 120 division – which TechCrunch referred to as a “reduction in force” — is almost certainly related to Google’s 2022 hiring slowdown and freeze that took place between July and August. At the time, Google CEO Sundar Pichai shared that the company “should think about how we can minimize distractions and really raise the bar for both product quality and productivity.”

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