In a bid to tighten control over its AI development, Google has told software engineers they must use only the company’s own AI tools when writing code. The directive comes as employees face increasing pressure to demonstrate AI expertise, with performance evaluations now linked directly to how effectively they leverage these technologies.
Business Insider reveals, Google’s Engineering Vice President, Megan Kacholia, has emailed staff emphasizing that engineers are expected to rely on the company’s internal AI systems to enhance coding efficiency. The new guidelines also require employees to seek approval before using external AI tools for any non-coding tasks.
READ: Sundar Pichai ‘very excited’ about OpenAI partnership as Google increases spending (
This move echoes a broader message from CEO Sundar Pichai, who during a July company-wide meeting stressed that employees must embrace AI to help Google maintain its competitive edge. In an internal meeting, an audio of which was obtained by CNBC, Pichai emphasized that the company must navigate the AI transition without a corresponding increase in staff. “In this AI moment, I think we have to accomplish more by taking advantage of this transition to drive higher productivity,” Pichai told staff. He highlighted the importance of being “frugal with our resources” and reiterated that he remains “very optimistic” about Google’s performance.
Some employees of the company have noticed managers asking staff to demonstrate how they incorporate AI into their daily tasks, a practice that could soon influence performance evaluations, as per BI. One employee noted, “It seems obvious you need to use it to move forward,” while another added that those who create AI-driven workflows that benefit their teams “are already being recognized and rewarded.”
READ: Google Engineer: Mastering AI is key to the next decade of engineering (
Earlier Google senior executive Brian Saluzzo revealed that the company is developing new tools aimed at helping software engineers accelerate development and increase AI adoption across teams. He highlighted an internal initiative, AI Savvy Google, which offers employees training resources, toolkits, and product-focused sessions to enhance their AI expertise. Saluzzo also unveiled a collaborative program with DeepMind, Building with Gemini, designed to train engineers on leveraging Google’s advanced Gemini AI model for more sophisticated projects.
During an investor call, Chief Financial Officer Anat Ashkenazi noted that expenditures are expected to increase further in 2026, driven by growing demand for cloud and AI services and the new opportunities they present.
Google surpassed Wall Street expectations for quarterly revenue and profit, driven by new AI features and continued strength in digital advertising. The company also raised its capital expenditure plans to $85 billion, reflecting robust demand for its cloud computing services.