Google employees are using a new internal AI tool called Agent Smith that can automate coding tasks and work in the background while they check in from their phones, according to Business Insider.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
The tool has become so popular that access had to be restricted to handle the influx of employees trying to use it, two people familiar with the matter said. The name is likely a reference to the antagonist from The Matrix.
How It Works
Agent Smith builds on Google's existing Antigravity coding platform and can interact with various internal tools. Unlike traditional coding assistants that require active use, Smith works asynchronously in the background without an active laptop.
Employees can check in with it and give instructions using their phones. Because it has access to Googlers' profiles, it can pull up documents they would otherwise need to access manually. The tool can also be used from Google employees' internal chat platform.
We're always experimenting with new ways to build agents that solve real-world problems for people and businesses, but we don't have anything to share right now.
— Google spokesperson
Brin's Agent Focus
Google co-founder Sergey Brin, who has been back in the trenches at Google since 2023, made an appearance at a town hall for sales employees in early March. He emphasized how important AI agents were becoming and said they would be a big focus for Google this year.
Brin hinted that the company was developing a tool similar to OpenClaw, according to someone who attended. During the meeting, Google's business chief Philipp Schindler joked that he could tell when Brin's agent was responding to messages on his behalf.
AI Adoption Becomes Mandatory
Google leaders have been dialling up pressure on employees to use AI tools. Some engineers were told last year that they were expected to be using AI for coding. In recent months, employees in non-technical roles have also been told that using AI is no longer encouraged but expected.
The shift reflects a broader push across tech companies to demonstrate that AI can boost productivity. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is reportedly building his own AI agent to help him run the company. The race to prove AI's value in enterprise workflows is intensifying as companies prepare for IPOs and face pressure to justify their valuations.
For Google's software engineers, Agent Smith is already proving useful, one person said. Whether that utility translates to measurable productivity gains, or whether it creates new dependencies and risks, will shape how aggressively the company pushes agent adoption internally.
TLDR
Google employees are using a new internal AI tool called Agent Smith that automates coding tasks and works asynchronously in the background. The tool became so popular that access had to be restricted to handle demand. Agent Smith builds on Google's Antigravity coding platform and can be operated from employees' phones. Co-founder Sergey Brin told staff at a recent town hall that AI agents will be a 'big focus' for Google this year, and hinted at a tool similar to OpenClaw. Some employees have been told that using AI is no longer encouraged but expected.
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