• Google’s new CFO Anat Ashkenazi signaled that the company could do more to save money and move faster.
• He said leaders had done a good job cutting costs and could “go a little further.”
• Google is increasing its spending on artificial intelligence, and Wall Street analysts want more details.

Google has spent the last few years shaping his business layoffs and countless restructurings. His new CFO said he could do better.

Google’s new finance chief made his debut at the company’s third-quarter earnings call on Tuesday Anat Ashkenazi He said one of his “key priorities” right now is “looking at Alphabet to see what we can do in terms of further improving efficiency.”

Ashkenazi name-checked Google CEO Sundar Pichai and former CFO Ruth Porat for doing a “really good job” as they began reorganizing Google’s cost base.

“But I think any organization can always go a little further,” he said.

Ashkenazi responded to Evercore analyst Mark Mahaney, who asked if there was more opportunity for Google’s margins to look healthier. while google reported some eye-popping third quarter numbersThe company has made it clear that it is spending heavily on data centers for new AI models and products.

Ashkenazi suggested that some of the new efficiencies could come from initiatives such as: built-in artificial intelligence tools rather than just reducing the head count. Pichai in the same meeting Revealed that a quarter of the new code written at Google is created by artificial intelligence.

“Think not just about the size of the organization, but more about how we operate and how we run the business,” Ashkenazi said. “I think when you simplify the organization — Sundar made a few comments about this — when we use AI in our own processes and how we do things, some efficiencies or efficiency opportunities emerge.”

‘Code Red’

The arrival of Ashkenazi, who replaced Google’s long-serving finance chief Porat earlier this year. excited some analysts and investors The possibility of greater transparency in company financials, especially as spending on artificial intelligence increases.

In a note published this week, analysts from BNP Paribas praised Ashkenazi as a “code red” initiative for the company and called his arrival “one of the most underappreciated catalysts in the industry right now.”

Google is currently overhauling many of its major AI products. Search includedand investors want to know if it will work. They also want to see if Google can move fast enough to catch up and surpass rivals like OpenAI.

Pichai in September 2022 He said he wanted to make the company 20% more efficient. Since then, Google has reduced the number of contacts. reduce meetingsand started New AI tools to help workers code faster. The changes show no signs of stopping: Just this month, the company announced that it would transfer its Gemini chatbot team to its Google DeepMind unit.

Are you a current or former Google employee? Have something to share? Reporter Hugh Langley can be contacted via the encrypted messaging app Signal (+1 628-228-1836) or via email ([email protected])