It wasn't engineering research, it was pure computer science. They published papers, attended conferences, etc. The other team, whom I personally interacted with more were engaged in solution design. They would have a goal (e.g. alpha go) and architect a solution for that specific problem. The two teams were somewhat orthogonal from what I recall.
It is a really hard problem to "commercialize" imagination or innovation. Two very different mindsets between "doing product" and "doing research." DOW Chemical did a pretty good job of it, but they have always been more "components of the solution" rather than the full solution.