This Hiring Coup Could Jump-Start Google's Stock
Posted on December 20, 2012 at 05:00 AM EST
Futurist Ray Kurzweil is one of the world's busiest people. And that's no surprise. A best-selling author and subject of a major documentary, Kurzweil has an unmatched talent for explaining how cutting-edge technology is going to change our lives. That means this "A-list" speaker is always on the go, traveling the globe as he spreads his futurist technology gospel. That's why I made sure to buttonhole Kurzweil at the recent Singularity Summit technology conference. As he headed into the San Francisco lecture hall to share the newest insights into how the brain works, I was able to walk along with him and have a quick chat. As we talked, little did I know that Kurzweil was working on something that would stun the tech world in a manner that's usually reserved for one of his predictions. No, I'm not talking about the buzz that's been generated by his new book, How to Create a Mind, the Secret of Human Thought Revealed . Kurzweil, as it turned out, had accepted a major position at none other than Google Inc. ( Nasdaq: GOOG ), the Web giant that is to search what the tech futurist is to prognostication. And Monday was Kurzweil's first day on the job as the company's new Director of Engineering. A lot of investors have glossed over this news. That's a big mistake. As I see it, this single hire speaks volumes about how Google views itself, and how it intends to keep building shareholder value. If you're interested in Google, this is a bit of strategic intelligence that you absolutely have to know. Here's why... To continue reading, please click here...