AI Tools from Mehmet, a Technical Program Manager at Waymo and Google's Gemini
Google's Mehmet Inonu shares daily Gemini usage tips, explains why Waymo leads in self-driving technology, and offers career advice for thriving in the AI era.
By Antoine Screve, Host of The AI Weekly Brief
Mehmet Inonu works at the intersection of two of the most consequential AI projects of our time: Waymo's self-driving technology and Google's Gemini AI. As a Technical Program Manager, he has an insider view of how AI is transforming both transportation and everyday work.
In this conversation, Mehmet shared his daily AI tool stack, explained why Waymo is ahead of Tesla in self-driving, and gave practical career advice for professionals navigating the AI transformation.
How Google Engineers Use AI Daily
Google engineers like Mehmet use Gemini daily for both professional and personal tasks. Claude is used for specific tasks like coding, and NotebookLM helps process user-loaded documents for research and analysis. The key insight: AI tools are used in combination, with different models assigned to different use cases based on their strengths.
For technical program management specifically, AI helps with meeting summaries, status report generation, risk analysis, and cross-team communication. The productivity gains compound as engineers build familiarity with which prompts work best for which tasks.
Why Waymo Leads in Self-Driving Technology
Waymo leads self-driving technology due to two key advantages: their early start collecting data with high-grade sensors, and their focused business model. Unlike Tesla, whose primary business is selling cars, Waymo is solely focused on developing and iterating self-driving software. This singular focus creates compounding advantages in both data quality and organizational alignment.
The sensor quality difference matters enormously. Higher-grade sensors generate richer data that trains better models, creating a flywheel that's difficult for competitors to replicate even with more total miles driven.
Career Advice for the AI Era
Mehmet's advice: lean into technology - use available AI tools and learn to create new ones. AI is increasingly handling manual work previously done by junior engineers, so the key is focusing on higher-value skills that complement what AI can do. Engineers who learn to direct AI agents will be far more valuable than those who compete with them on routine tasks.
Frequently Asked Questions
What AI tools does Google use for daily work?
Google engineers use Gemini daily for both professional and personal tasks. Claude is used for specific tasks like coding, and NotebookLM helps process user-loaded documents for research and analysis.
Why is Waymo ahead in self-driving technology?
Waymo leads due to their early start collecting data with high-grade sensors and their focused business model. Unlike Tesla, whose primary business is selling cars, Waymo is solely focused on developing and iterating no-driver software.
What career advice is there for the AI era?
Lean into technology - use available AI tools and learn to create new ones. AI is increasingly handling manual work previously done by junior engineers, so focus on higher-value skills that complement what AI can do.