X Development

Chorus is a project that aims to improve the supply chain through sensors, software, and machine learning tools. The team had been working on the project for 3.5 years before it was revealed in March 2022.{{Cite web |last=Li |first=Abner |date=2022-03-16 |title=New Alphabet X moonshot 'Chorus' wants to use sensors and ML to improve the global supply chain |url=https://9to5google.com/2022/03/15/x-project-chorus/ |access-date=2022-03-21 |website=9to5Google}}

{{Main|Google Glass}}

File:Google Glass with frame.jpg

Project Glass is a research and development program by Google to develop an augmented reality head-mounted display (HMD).{{cite news |url=https://money.cnn.com/2012/04/04/technology/google-project-glass/?source=cnn_bin|publisher=CNN |work=Money |title=Google unveils 'Project Glass' virtual-reality glasses |last=Goldman |first=David |date=April 4, 2012 }} The intended purpose of Project Glass products is hands-free display of information currently available to most smartphone users,{{cite news |url=https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2402613,00.asp |publisher=PC Magazine |title=Google 'Project Glass' Replaces the Smartphone With Glasses |first=Chloe |last=Albanesius | date=April 4, 2012}} and interaction with the Internet via natural language voice commands.{{cite news |title=Google's 'Project Glass' Teases Augmented Reality Glasses |url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/253200/googles_project_glass_teases_augmented_reality_glasses.html |publisher=PCWorld |last=Newman |first=Jared | date=April 4, 2012}} Google Glass has ended production as of March 15, 2023.{{Cite web |title=Enterprise Edition |url=https://www.google.com/glass/start/ |access-date=2023-08-03 |website=Glass |language=en}}

The purpose of Taara is to expand global access to quick, affordable internet connections with beams of light. After a successful use of free-space optical communication (FSOC) as a part of Project Loon,{{Cite web |url=https://blog.x.company/exploring-a-new-approach-to-connectivity-861a0159f63e |title=Exploring a new approach to connectivity |first=Baris |last=Erkmen |date=2017-12-14}} X decided to conduct more tests called Taara{{Cite web|title=Taara – X, the moonshot factory|url=https://x.company/projects/taara|access-date=2021-01-26|website=X, the moonshot factory}} in rural areas of India.{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/alphabets-x-provides-high-speed-internet-without-fiber-in-ap/articleshow/63023268.cms|title=Alphabet's X provides high-speed internet without fiber in AP|last=Phadnis|first=Shilpa|date=February 22, 2018|work=The Times of India|access-date=July 21, 2018}} The technology uses light beams that are developed by X's office in Visakhapatnam.{{Cite news|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/google-x-ready-to-set-up-development-centre-in-visakhapatnam/story-2jJvBpUwjwCQhjHGsOsFsM.html|title=Google X ready to set up Development Centre in Visakhapatnam|date=December 15, 2018|work=Hindustan Times|access-date=July 21, 2018}} As of December 2017, X had set up 2,000 units in India, through a partnership with Andhra Pradesh State FiberNet Limited.{{Cite news|url=https://qz.com/1157941/google-x-will-use-light-beams-to-bring-the-internet-to-12-million-households-in-indias-andhra-pradesh-state/|title=Alphabet's X will use light beams to bring the internet to millions of rural Indian households|last=U N|first=Sushma|date=December 15, 2017|work=Quartz India|access-date=July 21, 2018}} In March 2025, Taara graduated from X to become its own independent company.{{cite web | url=https://x.company/blog/posts/taara-graduation/ | title=Introducing the Light Generation - Google X Blog }}

{{Main|Waymo}}

File:Waymo self-driving car side view.gk.jpg

Waymo was a Google project that involved developing technology for driverless cars. In December 2016, Google transitioned the project into a new company called Waymo, housed under Google's parent company, Alphabet. The project was led by Google engineer Sebastian Thrun, director of the Stanford Artificial Intelligence Laboratory and co-inventor of Google Street View. Thrun's team at Stanford created the robotic vehicle Stanley, which won the 2005 DARPA Grand Challenge and a US$2 million prize from the United States Department of Defense.[24] The team developing the system consisted of 15 engineers working for Google, including Chris Urmson, Mike Montemerlo, and Anthony Levandowski, who had worked on the DARPA Grand and Urban Challenges.{{cite web|author=Sebastian Thrun|url=http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/10/what-were-driving-at.html|title=What we're driving at|publisher=The Official Google Blog|date=October 9, 2010|access-date=October 11, 2010}}

File:Google Loon - Launch Event.jpg

{{Main|Loon (company)}}

Project Loon was a project of X that aimed to bring internet access to everyone by creating an internet network of balloons flying through the stratosphere. It uses wireless routers in balloons that are above the weather and plans to give access to the internet to those who can't reach it or are in need of help.{{Cite web|url=https://loon.com/|title=Loon|website=Loon}} In July 2018, Loon graduated from X and was made a subsidiary of Alphabet.{{Cite news|url=https://www.inc.com/thomas-koulopoulos/the-moonshot-to-create-next-google.html|title=The Moonshot to Create the Next Google|last=Koulopoulos|first=Thomas|date=July 2018|work=Inc.|access-date=July 13, 2018}} In January 2021, it was announced that the company would be shut down.{{Cite web|last=Schroeder|first=Stan|title=Alphabet gives up on balloon-powered internet|url=https://mashable.com/article/alphabet-loon-shutting-down/|access-date=2021-01-22|website=Mashable|date=January 22, 2021|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=Langley|first=Hugh|title=Google's balloon project Loon crashed, but some investors are happy with CEO Sundar Pichai putting limits on money-burning 'moonshots'|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/google-loon-failure-investors-happy-sundar-pichai-moonshots-strategy-2021-1|access-date=2021-01-24|website=Business Insider}}{{Cite web|author=Michelle Toh|title=Alphabet is shutting down Loon, its ambitious internet balloon venture|url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/22/tech/loon-project-alphabet-google-intl-hnk/index.html|access-date=2021-01-24|website=CNN|date=January 22, 2021 }}

{{Main|Wing (company)}}

Project Wing was a project of X that aimed to rapidly deliver products across a city by using flying vehicles, similar to the Amazon Prime Air concept.{{Cite journal|journal=AOPA Pilot|date=April 2015|page=63|title=Droning On}} It began development in secret around 2012, with full-scale testing being carried out in Australia. In 2014, the project was publicly announced, at the same time that it was spun off to a separate company, Wing.

The flying vehicle takes off vertically, then rotates to a horizontal position for flying around. For delivery, it hovers and winches packages down to the ground. At the end of the tether is a small bundle of electronics which detects that the package has hit the ground, detaches from the delivery, and is pulled back up into the body of the vehicle. Dropping the cargo or landing were found to be unfeasible, as users compromised the safety.Warwick, Graham. "[http://aviationweek.com/technology/google-details-project-wing-unmanned-package-delivery-rd Google Details 'Project Wing' Unmanned Package-Delivery R&D]" Aviation Week & Space Technology, November 3, 2014. Accessed: November 5, 2014. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141105011555/http://aviationweek.com/technology/google-details-project-wing-unmanned-package-delivery-rd |date=November 5, 2014 }} on November 5, 2014

Malta was started in July 2017 to develop renewable energy storage systems by utilizing tanks of molten salt.{{Cite news|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/alphabet-google-x-malta-renewable-energy-storage-2017-7|title=Alphabet's 'moonshot' lab has a new project to store renewable energy|last=Kovach|first=Steve|date=31 July 2017|work=Business Insider|access-date=27 December 2018}} The system works by transforming electrical energy to heat energy for storage, based on research by Robert B. Laughlin.{{Cite news|url=https://venturebeat.com/2018/12/19/alphabets-x-lab-spins-out-molten-salt-energy-storage-project-malta-as-an-independent-company/|title=Alphabet's X lab spins out molten-salt energy storage project Malta|last=Wiggers|first=Kyle|date=19 December 2018|work=VentureBeat|access-date=27 December 2018}} Malta Inc. graduated from X in December 2018 with plans to develop a large-scale test of the technology for future commercial applications.{{Cite news|url=https://cleantechnica.com/2018/12/21/google-x-spins-off-malta-molten-salt-energy-storage-business/|title=Google X Spins Off Malta Molten Salt Energy Storage Business|last=Hanley|first=Steve|date=21 December 2018|work=CleanTechnica|access-date=27 December 2018}}{{Cite web |title=Home {{!}} Malta |url=https://maltainc.com |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=maltainc.com}}

{{Main|Dandelion Energy}}

Dandelion was spun out as a company not under the Alphabet umbrella, aiming to sell geothermal energy systems to consumers.{{Cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/alphabet-x-spins-out-geothermal-energy-company-dandelion-2017-7|title=Google's parent company spun out a new business that heats your home with geothermal energy|last=Kovach|first=Steve|website=Business Insider|access-date=2019-04-23}}

{{Main|Makani (company)}}

Makani was a project that was acquired by X in May 2013 designed to produce wind energy using kites.{{Cite news|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/google-x-acquires-kite-power-startup-makani/|title=Google X acquires kite-power startup Makani|last=Shankland|first=Stephen|date=May 23, 2013|work=CNET|access-date=July 13, 2018|publisher=CBS Interactive}} The T-shaped planes are 85 feet wide and contain 8 turbines tethered to the ground.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-08-04/alphabet-s-green-energy-ambitions-hit-turbulence|title=Alphabet's Green Energy Ambitions Hit Turbulence|last=Bergen|first=Mark|date=August 4, 2017|work=Bloomberg News|access-date=July 13, 2018}} Compared to wind turbines, Makani's kites require 90% less material.{{Cite news|url=https://9to5google.com/2017/08/04/alphabet-x-clean-energy-moonshots/|title=Various clean energy moonshots at X have hit roadblocks, including Makani kite project|last=Li|first=Abner|date=August 4, 2017|work=9to5Google|access-date=July 13, 2018}} In December 2016, Makani's kite became the first energy kite in the world to generate electricity.{{Cite news|url=https://renewablesnow.com/news/google-x-produces-1st-power-with-600-kw-kite-569167/|title=Makani produces 1st power with 600-kW kite|date=May 18, 2017|work=Renewables Now|access-date=July 13, 2018|url-access=limited}} In February 2019, Makani was separated from X and became a subsidiary of Alphabet.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ft.com/content/c39cdb50-2e91-11e9-8744-e7016697f225|title=Shell joins Alphabet in power-generating kites plan|last1=Waters|first1=Richard|last2=Hook|first2=Leslie|date=13 February 2019|website=Financial Times|access-date=23 April 2019}}

In February 2020, Alphabet shut down Makani. The company said "Despite strong technical progress, the road to commercialization is longer and riskier than hoped."{{Cite web|last=Lardinois|first=Frederic|date=19 February 2020|title=Alphabet takes the wind out of its Makani energy kites|url=https://techcrunch.com/2020/02/18/alphabet-takes-the-wind-out-of-its-makani-energy-kites/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201218035500/https://techcrunch.com/2020/02/18/alphabet-takes-the-wind-out-of-its-makani-energy-kites/|archive-date=18 December 2020|access-date=27 December 2020|website=TechCrunch|language=en-US}} In September 2020, Makani released the Energy Kite Collection — a three-part report and accompanying collection of open source code repositories, flight logs and technical videos from the project. It also released Pulling Power from the Sky: The Story of Makani, a documentary on the project, and made a non-assertion pledge on its patent portfolio, allowing anyone to use its patents without fear of legal reprisal.{{Cite web|last=Anderson|first=Mark|date=15 September 2020|title=Exclusive: Airborne Wind Energy Company Closes Shop, Opens Patents|url=https://spectrum.ieee.org/exclusive-airborne-wind-energy-company-closes-shop-opens-patents|url-status=live|archive-url=https://archive.today/20201227143956/https://spectrum.ieee.org/energywise/energy/renewables/exclusive-airborne-wind-energy-company-closes-shop-opens-patents|archive-date=27 December 2020|access-date=27 December 2020|website=IEEE Spectrum|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=Echeverri|first=Paula|date=10 September 2020|title=Sharing Makani with the world: The Energy Kite Collection|url=https://blog.x.company/sharing-makani-with-the-world-the-energy-kite-collection-ea49398df78c|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201227130630/https://blog.x.company/sharing-makani-with-the-world-the-energy-kite-collection-ea49398df78c?gi=11a847e0256d|archive-date=27 December 2020|access-date=27 December 2020|website=Medium|language=en}}

In July 2021, it was announced that a new company called Intrinsic would be spun out of X.{{cite web |last1=Bursztynsky |first1=Jessica |title=Alphabet launches new robotics software company Intrinsic |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2021/07/23/alphabet-intrinsic-robotics-software-company.html |website=CNBC |access-date=July 23, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210723171417/https://www.cnbc.com/2021/07/23/alphabet-intrinsic-robotics-software-company.html |archive-date=July 23, 2021 |date=July 23, 2021 |url-status=live}} The team had been developing software for industrial robots at X for more than five years. The new company is led by Wendy Tan White as CEO.{{Cite web|last=Ridden|first=Paul|date=2021-07-23|title=Alphabet launches Intrinsic to make industrial robots easier to use|url=https://newatlas.com/robotics/alphabet-intrinsic-software-industrial-robots/|access-date=2021-07-27|website=New Atlas}}

In January 2023, it was announced that a new company called Mineral has been spun out of X. The team had been working on sensors, data, and machine learning to scale sustainable agriculture globally for more than 5 years. The new company is led by Elliott Grant as CEO.

• The Google Contact Lens, a smart contact lens that aims to assist people with diabetes by constantly measuring the glucose levels in their tears, was announced by Google on January 16, 2014.{{cite news |title=Introducing our smart contact lens project |url=https://googleblog.blogspot.com/2014/01/introducing-our-smart-contact-lens.html |date=January 16, 2014 |access-date=July 31, 2016}} This project, the nanodiagnostics project{{cite news |title=Why Google's Cancer-Detecting Pill Is More Than Just Hype. |url=https://www.wired.com/2014/11/googles-cancer-detecting-pill-just-hype/ |date=November 5, 2014 |access-date=July 31, 2016}} to develop a cancer-detecting pill, and other life sciences efforts are now being carried out by Verily.{{Cite web|url=https://www.solveforx.com/graduated|title=X - Projects|website=X, the moonshot factory}}
• Google Brain is now a deep learning research project at Google which started as an X project. Considered one of the biggest successes,{{cite news |title=They Promised Us Jet Packs. | work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/24/technology/they-promised-us-jet-packs-they-promised-the-bosses-profit.html?ref=technology&_r=1 |date=July 23, 2016 |access-date=July 31, 2016 | last1=Dougherty | first1=Conor }} this one project has produced enough value for Google to more than cover the total costs of X, according to Astro Teller.{{cite news |title=Astro Teller, Google's 'Captain of Moonshots,' on Making Profits at Google X |url=http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/02/16/googles-captain-of-moonshots-on-making-profits-at-google-x/?_r=0 |date=February 6, 2015 |access-date=July 31, 2016}}
• Google Watch (now Wear OS)
• Gcam (now Pixel Camera)
• Project Insight, mapping indoor spaces, now integrated into Google Maps[https://www.informationweek.com/it-life/google-x-inspired-8-moonshots-to-watch/d/d-id/1324575? Google X Inspired: 8 Moonshots To Watch]
• Flux, a tool for designing more eco-friendly buildings{{cite web| last= Lunden| first= Ingrid| url= https://techcrunch.com/2014/05/06/flux-the-first-startup-to-spin-out-of-google-x-nabs-8m-for-its-eco-home-building-platform/ |title= Flux Emerges From Google X And Nabs $8M To Help Build Eco-Friendly Buildings| work= TechCrunch| date= May 2014}}
• Daydream View
• Chronicle
• Tidal, underwater vision and robotics technology company spun out in July 2024 as TidalX{{cite web |title=Google Spin-off TidalX AI Aims to Transform Aquaculture |url=https://spectrum.ieee.org/aquaculture |publisher=IEEE Spectrum |access-date=8 April 2025 |language=en |date=7 April 2025|author1=Rajesh Jadhav|author2=Kira K. Smiley|author3=Grace C. Young}}

• A 2011 New York Times article stated that computer scientist Johnny Chung Lee was working on web of things-related research; this might have evolved into the Tango project (2014–2018), which was done not at Google X but at Google ATAP.
• A 2015 article in The Wall Street Journal stated that Google X had, since 2012, been working on long-lasting smartphone batteries.{{cite news |title=Google's X lab is working on batteries that last longer |url=https://www.engadget.com/2015/04/11/google-battery-tech/|newspaper=The Wall Street Journal |date=April 11, 2015 |access-date=November 11, 2015}}

• In October 2013, the existence of four Google barges was revealed, with the vessels registered under the dummy corporation By And Large. Two of the barges had a superstructure whose construction was kept under the utmost secrecy.{{cite news |author=Newton |first=Casey |author-link=Casey Newton |date=October 31, 2013 |title=Google plans to dock mystery barge at former Army post in San Francisco |url=https://www.theverge.com/2013/10/31/5051642/google-plans-to-dock-mystery-barge-at-former-army-post-in-san |work=The Verge |publisher=Vox Media}} These were eventually revealed to be experimental floating interactive learning centers,{{cite news |title=Google barge mystery solved: they're for 'interactive learning centers' |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/nov/06/google-barge-mystery-solved-interactive-learning-center |access-date=8 April 2025 |work=The Guardian |date=6 November 2013}} though perhaps due to the cost of meeting federal maritime safety regulations, this project was cancelled and the barges dismantled and sold.
• Foghorn, a project to produce liquid hydrocarbon fuel for vehicles using sea water as a source of carbon dioxide, extracted using membrane technology, and also as a source of hydrogen, using electrolysis. The project was killed by X in 2016 and the results published in 2018.{{Cite web|url=https://x.company/explorations/foghorn/|title=X - Foghorn|website=X, the moonshot factory}}
• Calcifer explored using lighter-than-air vehicles to move freight at lower cost in countries with poor transportation infrastructure. Abandoned in 2014 due to the high cost of prototyping and limited expected impact.{{cite web |url=https://x.company/explorations/ |title=Explorations – X |website=x.company |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170430022902/http://www.x.company/explorations/ |archive-date=2017-04-30}}

Projects that X has considered and rejected include a space elevator, which was deemed to be currently infeasible;{{cite web|last=Gayomali|first=Chris|title=Google X Confirms The Rumors: It Really Did Try To Design A Space Elevator|url=http://www.fastcompany.com/3029138/world-changing-ideas/google-x-confirms-the-rumors-it-really-did-try-to-design-a-space-elevat?partner=rss|work=Fast Company|access-date=April 17, 2014|date=April 15, 2014}} a hoverboard, which was determined to be too costly relative to the societal benefits;{{cite web|last=Gayomali|first=Chris|title=This Is Why We Don't Have Google X Hoverboards Yet|url=http://www.fastcompany.com/3029162/most-innovative-companies/this-is-why-we-dont-have-google-x-hoverboards-yet|work=Fast Company|access-date=April 17, 2014|date=April 15, 2014}} a user-safe jetpack, which was thought to be too loud and energy-wasting;{{cite web|last=Mack|first=Eric|title=Four Crazy Google X Projects That Failed|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/ericmack/2014/05/06/four-crazy-google-x-projects-that-failed/|work=Forbes|access-date=May 9, 2014|date=May 6, 2014}} and teleportation, which was found to violate the laws of physics.

In February 2016, Astro Teller, the X "Captain of Moonshots", gave a TED talk{{cite web|title=The unexpected benefit of celebrating failure|url=http://www.ted.com/talks/astro_teller_the_unexpected_benefit_of_celebrating_failure|work=TED|access-date=June 3, 2016|date= Feb 2016}} in which he described the X approach to projects. Unusual characteristics of the approach included constantly trying to find reasons to kill off projects by tackling the hardest parts first, and both celebrating and rewarding staff when projects were killed off due to failure.

On May 17, 2018, an internal video entitled The Selfish Ledger was leaked by The Verge, regarding reshaping society through total data collection. A spokesperson stated that, "This is a thought-experiment by the Design team from years ago that uses a technique known as ‘speculative design’ to explore uncomfortable ideas and concepts in order to provoke discussion and debate. It's not related to any current or future products."{{Cite news|url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/5/17/17344250/google-x-selfish-ledger-video-data-privacy|title=Google's Selfish Ledger is an unsettling vision of Silicon Valley social engineering|work=The Verge|access-date=2018-05-19}}

A number of companies have been acquired and merged into X, covering a diverse range of skills including wind turbines, robotics, artificial intelligence, humanoid robots, robotic arms, and computer vision. In 2013, X acquired Makani Power, a US company which developed tethered wings/kites with mounted wind turbines for low cost renewable energy generation.{{cite news|title=Google acquires kite-power generator|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-22636565|work=BBC News|date=May 23, 2013|access-date=May 23, 2013}} In 2014, it acquired product design and mechanical engineering firm Gecko Design, whose previous products included the Fitbit activity tracker and low-cost computers. As of 2015, X has acquired 14 companies, including Redwood Robotics, Meka Robotics, Boston Dynamics, Bot & Dolly, and Jetpac.{{cite web|last1=Miners|first1=Zach|title=Google acquires Gecko Design for next-generation products|url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/2598100/google-acquires-gecko-design-for-nextgeneration-products.html|access-date=August 22, 2014|date=August 22, 2014}} In June 2017, X sold Boston Dynamics to SoftBank Group,{{Cite news|url=http://www.latimes.com/business/technology/la-fi-softbank-20170609-story.html|title=Why Google wanted to sell – and Softbank wanted to buy – Boston Dynamics, which makes crazy robots|last=D'Angelo|first=Alexa|date=June 9, 2017|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=June 9, 2017}} which sold it to Hyundai Motor Company in December 2020.

A reporter from Bloomberg Businessweek visited the site in 2013 and described it as "ordinary two-story red-brick buildings about a half-mile from Google's main campus. There's a burbling fountain out front and rows of company-issued bikes, which employees use to shuttle to the main campus."

On 25 October 2018, The New York Times published an exposé entitled "How Google Protected Andy Rubin, the 'Father of Android'". The company subsequently announced that "48 employees have been fired over the last two years" for sexual misconduct.{{cite news|url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/10/25/18024486/google-sexual-harassment-people-fired-rubin-2-years-ceo|title=Google says 48 people have been fired for sexual harassment in the last two years|last1=Welch|first1=Chris|date=25 October 2018|access-date=31 October 2018|publisher=The Verge}} A week after the article appeared, Google X executive Rich DeVaul resigned pursuant to a complaint of sexual harassment.{{cite news|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/google-exec-accused-of-sexual-harassment-leaves-company/|title=Google exec accused of sexual harassment leaves company|last1=Musil|first1=Steven|date=30 October 2018|access-date=31 October 2018|publisher=CNET}}

{{Portal|Internet}}

• Artificial intelligence
• Glossary of artificial intelligence
• Google Labs
• Skunkworks project

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