Google has introduced NBA star Stephen Curry on board to assist form the corporate’s {hardware}, options, and AI providers. The long-term partnership was introduced as we speak on the Made by Google occasion, with Curry becoming a member of the corporate as a “efficiency advisor” for Google’s Well being, Pixel, and Cloud merchandise, leaning into his athletic expertise and experience.
A part of Curry’s job will contain testing and offering suggestions for Fitbit’s new private well being coach, sharing “teaching strategies and philosophies” that can be utilized to enhance the characteristic, in line with Google’s press launch. The well being coach is a Gemini-based chatbot that generates personalized exercise routines and metric targets for Fitbit app customers primarily based on the well being objectives they’re working in the direction of.
“This hands-on work has already begun, with Stephen and his workforce of consultants working with our well being consultants and product and AI engineers to check our new merchandise and experiences, giving us extremely priceless suggestions,” says Google’s platforms and units head, Rick Osterloh. “Stephen’s elite insights and our AI know-how aren’t only for sports activities — our work collectively will present how anybody can use these merchandise and options to take care of a more healthy way of life and get extra accomplished.”
As anticipated, this partnership additionally means Curry and his workforce will probably be contract-bound to make use of Google’s {hardware} portfolio, together with Pixel telephones, watches, and earbuds. Curry can also be implementing AI instruments like Google Cloud’s AI Basketball Coach into his pupil coaching packages, which Google says might help to “good your leap shot” — one thing Curry most likely doesn’t want a lot assist with himself, with a 42 p.c common on three pointers for his profession.
The team-up will doubtless lead to Curry making some branded content material appearances, however we must wait and see if Google makes any significant product enhancements underneath Curry’s steerage.
