In a surprising move, tech giant Google has decided to remove its AI Test Kitchen app from both the Play Store and the App Store, opting to focus exclusively on the web platform. The AI Test Kitchen app, which was launched just last year, provided users with the unique opportunity to interact with a variety of projects powered by different AI models, including the impressive LaMDA 2 model. However, it seems that Google is now shifting its attention towards the web experience for easier updates and wider accessibility.
The AI Test Kitchen was initially introduced as a groundbreaking experiment, allowing users to engage with AI projects designed to showcase the capabilities of different language models. Some of the early experiments included a model that effectively broke down complex goals into manageable subsets and another model that engaged in conversations about dogs to evaluate its ability to stick to the given topic.
However, the recent removal of the AI Test Kitchen app from app stores has raised questions about the future of this experiment. In response to inquiries from 9to5Google, which had been the first to observe the app’s removal, Google confirmed its decision to focus solely on the web platform for AI Test Kitchen.
Google highlighted the ease of updating projects on the web platform as a key factor in this decision. By offering the AI Test Kitchen exclusively through the web, the company can efficiently push updates and improvements to the experiments without requiring users to download new versions from app stores.
The move also aligns with Google’s previous actions concerning experimental projects. Google has a history of testing out various ideas and ventures, but not all of them make it to full-fledged products. This strategy of experimentation allows the company to gather valuable data and insights, helping to shape future offerings. By prioritizing the web platform for AI Test Kitchen, Google can better streamline its testing process and efficiently roll out experiments to a wider audience.
In the past, Google had announced the impending “Season 2” of AI Test Kitchen, which was set to introduce new and exciting experiments. However, to the disappointment of many users, these experiments never materialized. As of now, the AI Test Kitchen only hosts a single text-to-music language model experiment called MusicLM, which was introduced earlier this year at Google IO.
While Google’s decision to shift its focus to the web platform may not come as a complete surprise, it does raise questions about the company’s overall AI strategy. With the rise of large language models (LLMs) and the growing popularity of generative AI-focused tools like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Anthtropic’s Claude, Google may be reevaluating its priorities and reallocating resources to enhance and test features for its consumer products.
One potential indication of this strategic shift is Google’s introduction of Google Labs during the Google IO event in May. The new portal allows users to sign up for generative AI-based experiments, and interestingly, it also features the MusicLM experiment, which was previously hosted on the AI Test Kitchen.
However, Google’s decision to have multiple platforms for AI experiments, including AI Test Kitchen and Google Labs, may lead to confusion among users. The AI Test Kitchen, which was once a comprehensive hub for various experiments, now only features a solitary project, while Google Labs lists a range of projects, including Search Labs, the AI-powered note-taking project NotebookLM, AI-focused Workspace features, and the MusicLM project.
As Google continues to explore and refine its AI endeavours, it remains to be seen how the decision to focus on the web platform and consolidate experiments will shape the company’s AI strategy and user experience. For users interested in exploring Google’s generative AI projects, the future lies with Google Labs, where the company is likely to unveil new and intriguing AI experiments in the days to come.
