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Google Cloud is creating a new GTM group focused on expanding enterprise use of its AI offerings
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Ex-Okta and Microsoft exec Oliver Parker is taking charge of the group
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Google Cloud is facing off with tech titans AWS and Microsoft for AI dominance
Google Cloud is doubling down on artificial intelligence (AI), appointing former Okta executive Oliver Parker to lead a newly-formed unit within the company’s go-to-market (GTM) organization.
Parker and the new team will provide sales support and technical resources for the company's global client base. More explicitly, the group is tasked with helping enterprise customers broaden their use of Google Cloud’s AI offerings, including Vertex AI and its associated platform offerings like Model Garden, Doc AI, Context Center AI and more. The new GTM team will be comprised of both existing staff who were already working on AI-related tasks as well as new hires.
Sid Nag, VP of Gartner's Technology and Service Provider Group, told Silverlinings the new group will fill a key gap that has plagued Google as a whole.
"I think Google Cloud’s challenge historically has been that they have a lot of great technology but not a lot of focus on positioning and marketing and messaging," Nag said.
He noted the company has long had plenty of AI tech on its shelves but until the ChatGPT boom burst the doors off the AI market last year, Google was gun shy about pitching its wares due to tough ethics concerns about the technology. Now, though, Nag said all bets are off and the new group will help Google Cloud articulate the value of its AI offerings to customers.
AvidThink's Roy Chua added that Microsoft has historically had an advantage in the enterprise arena due to its longstanding IT relationships with companies and Amazon Web Services (AWS) has found success with an aggressive vertical go-to-market strategy. Similarly, Google Cloud will need to show how its AI is relevant to different verticals, he said.
"They have to tie to vertical markets. It doesn’t matter how good the foundation models are, they still need a vertical go-to-market because [AI adoption] will be task based and industry based," Chua explained.
Parker's title will be VP of AI within the GTM organization. He will report to Google Cloud’s President of GTM Adaire Fox-Martin.
Google Cloud announced Parker’s appointment internally on Thursday.
The company introduced its Vertex AI technology in 2021, but recently highlighted the availability of expanding number of models at Cloud Next in August 2023. Parker’s hire comes as Google Cloud is going up against Amazon Web Services and Microsoft for supremacy in the nascent AI market.
“Our customers have asked for more assistance as they grow their businesses using Google’s AI tools, and Oliver’s passion for innovation and customer success aligns perfectly with our mission to empower customers with new AI solutions,” Fox-Martin said in a statement.
Parker’s new gig will see him return to Google Cloud after spending nearly two years as SVP and GM at authentication company Okta. Before joining Okta, he spent more than four years as VP at Google Cloud. The longest stretch of his career, however, was spent at Microsoft, where he served in various sales and GM roles over the course of 18 years.
Parker is the second exec Google Cloud has added to its GTM team in the past three months.
In November, it tapped ex-Microsoft executive Matt Renner to lead its efforts in North America.
Update 12:20 pm ET 1/11/2024: This story has been updated to include commentary from AvidThink founder Roy Chua.