Google has made a surprising move, paying $2.7 billion to rehire Noam Shazeer, a prominent AI expert who had previously left the company to start his venture, Character. AI.
The expert joined the company in the early 2000s and left in 2021. He was prompted to leave after the company refused to release his AI chatbot, which he co-founded with his colleague Daniel De Freitas.
Google, which initially launched Meta AI, recognises the threat of AI in terms of fierce competition with other tech giants and startups. The field is becoming increasingly competitive, with startups like OpenAI vying for leadership.
Shazeer is widely known for his significant contributions to Google’s AI efforts, including his work on the Language Model for Dialogue Applications (LaMDA).
His return to Google comes at a crucial time, as the company is intensifying its efforts to stay at the forefront of AI development, particularly with its Gemini project, aimed at revolutionizing conversational AI.
Despite Character.AI’s popularity, with over 20 million active users, the startup struggled to generate revenue consistently.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Google not only paid $2.7 billion to bring Shazeer back but also acquired stakes in Character.AI from investors and employees.
This deal allows Google to swiftly incorporate Character.AI’s technology without waiting for legal and regulatory approvals, which would typically be required in an acquisition.
With this change, Google can incorporate Character.AI while offering Shazeer a leading position in developing its AI technology into its larger AI initiatives.
As AI technologies continue to evolve, companies like Google are willing to invest heavily in individuals who can lead them through this transformative phase.
Shazeer’s expertise will be crucial in Google’s efforts to maintain its dominance in the AI space, especially as competitors push to innovate and disrupt the market.
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