Google paid USD 2.7 billion to rehire AI genius Noam Shazeer who is the co-founder of Character.AI to lead its next-generation AI efforts.
In a significant move for the world of artificial intelligence, Google has reportedly paid a staggering USD 2.7 billion to rehire Noam Shazeer, a software engineering genius who left the tech giant in 2021. Shazeer, who joined Google in 2000, played a crucial role in its AI developments. However, he parted ways with the company after his request to release a chatbot, which he had developed with fellow engineer Daniel De Freitas, was rejected. This news was reported by The Wall Street Journal.
After leaving Google, Shazeer and De Freitas went on to establish Character.AI, which rapidly became one of the most talked-about AI startups in Silicon Valley. The company reached an impressive $1 billion valuation just last year, showcasing its potential and the high demand for its AI innovations. Google, recognizing the talent and groundbreaking technology Shazeer had created, announced his return along with De Freitas, both of whom will join Google's AI unit, DeepMind.
To facilitate this major return, Google struck a licensing deal worth USD 2.7 billion with Character.AI, allowing immediate access to its intellectual property. This arrangement bypasses the need for waiting on lengthy regulatory approvals and provides Google with the technology necessary to remain competitive in the AI space. The deal not only secures Shazeer’s return but also positions Google to leverage the innovative AI advancements Character.AI has been working on.
According to the Wall Street Journal, many within Google view Shazeer’s return as a pivotal factor in the decision to acquire Character.AI. Even former Google CEO Eric Schmidt has long recognized Shazeer’s potential. Back in 2015, Schmidt remarked that Shazeer had the capability to build AI models with human-level intelligence. This vision became even clearer when, in 2017, Shazeer developed Meena, an advanced chatbot capable of holding conversations on a wide range of topics. Shazeer had so much confidence in Meena that he once predicted it would eventually replace Google’s search engine. However, at the time, Google’s leadership was hesitant to release it due to concerns over safety and fairness.
Now that Shazeer has rejoined Google, he is set to lead the development of Gemini, the company’s next-generation AI model. This project is part of Google's broader efforts to compete with industry rivals such as OpenAI and its popular ChatGPT. By bringing Shazeer back into the fold, Google is reinforcing its position in the rapidly evolving AI industry, ensuring that it remains at the forefront of technological advancements in artificial intelligence.
According to the report, Noam Shazeer, who previously criticized Google for being overly cautious in its approach to AI development, is now one of the three key leaders spearheading the creation of Gemini, the next version of Google's advanced AI technology. As part of the deal, Shazeer has reportedly earned hundreds of millions from his stake in Character.AI.
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 "Noam Shazeer")
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