This is the pic Google’s PR department (PR standing here for Public Relations not Page Rank) chose for Google’s official blog announcement today that Larry Page will be taking over as CEO.
Like all things Google, this pic wasn’t just a serendipitious snap shot – No, it was very cleverly calculated. The whole photoshoot was planned out. The pic tells a LOT:
First – Larry is firmly in the driver’s seat, with Sergey in the back seat. Let’s just hope there’s lots of back-seat-driving because any Google Watcher worth their salt knows only too well that Sergey is the guy that worries more about the “Do No Evil” mantra. He was the one who bleated about China, and eventually after a major barney with Larry and Eric, convinced the company to pull out of China. Eric, Larry and the shareholders clearly didn’t like it, and today’s announcement has been on the drawing boards for many moons.
But actually, there is an even deeper truth to the pic. At first the message screams “Larry is now driving Google”. But hold on… wait… it’s all “Look Mom, No Hands” (Larry and Sergey’s hands being out of the windows). So WHO IS driving the car?? It’s no longer Eric – he’s just stepped out of the car. The scary truth – the Car is being driven by an algorithm. Yes folks, the car chosen for this particular photoshoot is one of Google’s flagship “self-driving cars”. There’s no longer a human in control of this Juggernaut Company – it’s all alogorithms. Scary. And if you don’t believe me read this story about how this guy was fired by a machine 2 weeks before Christmas.
Who said pictures don’t tell a 1000 words??