Google Rehires AI Pioneer Noam Shazeer in $2.7 Billion Deal
One of the most famous researchers to have ever written a few lines as an AI researcher, Noam Shazeer ended up back at Google plex in a stunning $2.7 billion deal. Shazeer at Character, the AI startup he moved to after leaving Google in 2021. Having served as GM of AI, is rejoining to co-lead the company’s Gemini AI project.
Noam Shazeer, AI Genius, is Rehired by Google
Google has paid out $2.7 billion to regain the services of original AI head honcho Noam Shazeer from OpenAI to co-lead its own AI models with comrade Samy Bengio, another former Googler who recently journeyed back home as well. Shazeer, for instance, left Google after two decades at the company to help create contemporary AI.
Why Did Shazeer Leave Google?
But thanks to an unconventional chatbot Shazeer and his co-worker Daniel De Freitas had developed (which Google was not interested in launching), Shazeer left the company… After leaving the military Shazeer co-founded Character. AI, an AI startup based in San Francisco that became a $1 billion company in 2022.
Character, Success in AI and Google’s play
Character. That followed with a lightning rod round on funding, making AI one of Silicon Valley’s more highly valued AI startups at over $193M. Since Google was earlier planning to invest millions into the company, it ended up paying $2.7 billion to get Shazeer back, and Character included. AI’s technology.
Leading Google’s Gemini AI with Noam Shazeer
This is where Shazeer comes in — he is now a technical lead on the Gemini project inside DeepMind. He joins AI leads Jeff Dean and Oriol Vinyals.
Why Google Paid $2.7 Billion
This total sum is composed of licensing fees on Character. Google enabled the access to this technology and intellectual property thanks to AI. This is in line with Google’s plan to upstage rivals Microsoft and Amazon who are also working on beefing up their AI muscle.
Conclusion
Noam Shazeer being rehired by Google and buying Character. The company’s technology, part of a larger strategy to bolster its AI division, also keeps tabs in the rat-a-tat market for all things AI. Shazeer’s specialization will be contributing to the progress of Google Gemini by incorporating AI into flagship products such as Search and Pixel.