Google is going beyond the Internet and into the industry of healthcare. The search giant on Wednesday announced a new project, known as Calico, that essentially aims to figure out how to cure diseases and reverse aging. Google CEO Larry Page said the goal is to confront the issues directly and come up with solutions that can change and improve lives. Arthur D. Levinson, Chairman of Apple and former CEO of Genentech, will act as CEO.
“Illness and aging affect all our families,” Google CEO Larry Page said. “With some longer term, moonshot thinking around healthcare and biotechnology, I believe we can improve millions of lives.”
So early on in the project’s life, it’s unclear what steps Calico will take to address issues in the healthcare industry. For now, many of the executives are simply excited to begin work on this next venture. Google has built a side reputation for crazy projects, whether it be developing face computers, self-driving cars, or Internet in the sky, but this one sounds much more grounded, and could potentially impact everyone around the globe.
Even Apple CEO Tim Cook chimed in, saying Levinson is a perfect candidate to head up the Calico project. Age reversal is likely not the project’s top priority, but curing diseases? That’s certainly something everyone can root for. We likely won’t see any immediate developments from Calico, but at least we know Google is putting its massive resources to something more noble than allowing people to snap pictures with just a wink.
Source: Google