Interesting how people measure these endeavours always in the context of their perceived end goal. Remember "shoot for the moon and if you come half way you still got pretty far"? This is exactly that.
Learning what you can't do is as important as to know what you can do. I'm happy that Alphabet is doing these long term research projects and bets. >5 years I think, apart from government, only oil & gas companies project that long term, but they know much better what they will 'find'. What Alphabet does it moves the academic needle cause we learn so much on the way.
Maybe they can do better in publishing the results, cause that is an alternative to just shareholder value: society value.
Learning what you can't do is as important as to know what you can do. I'm happy that Alphabet is doing these long term research projects and bets. >5 years I think, apart from government, only oil & gas companies project that long term, but they know much better what they will 'find'. What Alphabet does it moves the academic needle cause we learn so much on the way.
Maybe they can do better in publishing the results, cause that is an alternative to just shareholder value: society value.