Gopi Kallayil, the Chief Evangelist, Brand Marketing at Google, who has worked with Google’s sales teams and customers and helps grow customer brands through digital marketing, kept MIUC´s invited audience enthralled during his lecture yesterday evening at MIUC´s Marbella campus.
In his prior roles, he has worked as Chief Evangelist for Google+, led the marketing team for the Company’s flagship advertising product, AdWords, in the Americas and Asia Pacific, and the marketing team for AdSense, Google’s publisher-facing product.
He charmed the crowd by testing their medical knowledge, as his opening gambit, enquiring if they knew how many organs are in the human body. He pointed out that the human body has some 78 organs, before sharing with us his view of today´s smart phone as the 79th organ.
Amongst the various topics discussed were the fact that the playing field has been leveled, over the last 15 years or so, through increased access to information to those of differing socio-economic backgrounds and differing countries.
In addition, he discussed the work philosophy at Google, as well as how ideas evolve from anywhere, such as how there was first Google maps, followed by street view, and subsequently indoors street view of major public buildings, which led to a famed oceanographer remarking that it was now time to begin mapping underwater as well.
The availability of the Internet, a thing we take for granted, is, he remarked, still unavailable to 5 billion people worldwide. Google is currently working on solutions to this – involving balloons, helium, solar power panels and much more.
Fascinating indeed was the information that our gadgets are learning more, every time, collecting increasing bits of information, and adding these to a central database, to which all devices then have access as well.
One thought-provoking example was the Google self-drive car. It already has, he explained, all the components necessary for its success. We learned that 97% of all car accidents are due to human error, and thus Google´s epiphany to create a self-driving car, and removing the driver from the car! Google Maps knows where to go, and the Lidar can determine what is going on several vehicles ahead, by beaming UNDER the vehicles directly in front, such as a van or a truck, for example.
Open source applications were of particular interest – Google translate is one such: the original data was machine generated, and then, because Google´s applications are free of charge, users can suggest alternate translations, such as for technical terms, or correct mistakes, via the web interface. These suggestions may then be included in future updates to the translation process.
Mr. Kallayil´s audience was reluctant to let him stop speaking, and he generously agreed to provide other 40-minutes of witty anecdotes and information to his delighted crowd.
An animated Q & A period then followed, with an ensuing cocktail in MIUC´s reception area.
MIUC extends its gratitude to Mr. Gopi Kallayil for his most instructive visit to MIUC.
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