OpenAI Product Manager Highlights Criticality of Project Naming, Referencing Google's Internal Practices

Rapha Gontijo, a Product Manager at OpenAI, recently emphasized the significant importance of project naming within the technology sector, drawing a comparison between OpenAI's established understanding and Google's internal methodologies. In a social media post, Gontijo, a former Google employee, stated, "googlers are learning what we at oai have known for a while: that naming is the most critical part of a project."

Gontijo's comment humorously alluded to the diverse and often themed internal project codenames prevalent at Google, adding, "i swear if i have to eat one more strawberry or an allium-themed dinner…" While "Strawberry" is a recognized codename for a major OpenAI initiative focused on advanced AI reasoning, "allium" likely refers to the varied, sometimes obscure, codenaming style used within Google, which has historically included a wide array of creative and thematic names for its internal projects.

OpenAI's "Project Strawberry" represents a pivotal effort to significantly enhance AI reasoning capabilities, building upon earlier research such as "Q*." This project aims to equip AI models with the ability to perform complex, human-like reasoning tasks, encompassing advanced mathematics, programming, and autonomous deep research. The strategic choice of a clear and impactful codename like "Strawberry" for such a high-profile project aligns with Gontijo's assertion regarding the critical role of naming.

Discussions among industry experts and within large technology firms frequently underscore the dual function of project names: fostering team identity and streamlining communication, while also posing potential challenges if not managed effectively. Although Google Cloud Platform provides formal guidelines for resource naming, internal product development often employs more imaginative codenames, which, as Gontijo suggests, can lead to unique complexities within a vast and intricate organization.