Google Recruits Character: AI Founders in Major AI Talent Acquisition
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| Google hires Character AI founders in AI talent acquisition. Photographic image by: TechMediaArcive. |
In a significant move, Google has hired the co-founders of Character. AI, Noam Shazeer, and Daniel De Freitas, along with some of their team members. This strategic acquisition includes a licensing deal for Character.AI's technology, highlighting the fierce competition for AI talent and innovation among tech giants.
Key Takeaways
- Google hires Character.AI co-founders Noam Shazeer and Daniel De Freitas.
- The deal includes a non-exclusive license for Character.AI's technology.
- Character.AI will continue to operate independently under interim CEO Dominic Perella.
- The move underscores the intense competition for AI talent and technology.
Background and Significance
Character.AI, founded by former Google researchers Noam Shazeer and Daniel De Freitas, gained prominence for its versatile chatbots that allow users to interact with AI versions of real or fictional characters. The startup was valued at $1 billion in March 2023 and was reportedly in talks for further funding at a valuation exceeding $5 billion.
Shazeer and De Freitas' return to Google marks a full-circle moment, as both had previously worked at the tech giant. Shazier co-authored the influential "Attention Is All You Need" paper, which laid the groundwork for modern AI models like OpenAI's ChatGPT.
The Deal's Structure
The agreement between Google and Character.AI is notable for its structure. Instead of a traditional acquisition, Google has opted for a non-exclusive licensing deal for Character.AI's large language model technology. This allows Character.AI to continue operating independently while benefiting from Google's resources and expertise.
Implications for the AI Industry
This move is part of a broader trend where major tech companies are absorbing talent from high-profile AI startups. Similar deals include Microsoft's hiring of Inflection AI's CEO Mustafa Suleyman and Amazon's acquisition of key personnel from Adept AI. These deals highlight the challenges AI startups face in scaling and achieving profitability independently.
Future Prospects
Character.AI will continue to develop its platform under the leadership of interim CEO Dominic Perella. The company aims to leverage third-party pre-trained models alongside its own, allowing it to focus on post-training and creating new user experiences. Despite the departure of its founders, Character.AI remains committed to its mission of providing personalized AI companions and expanding its user base.
Conclusion
Google's acquisition of Character.AI's founders and the accompanying licensing deal underscore the intense competition for AI talent and technology. As tech giants continue to vie for dominance in the AI space, such strategic moves are likely to become more common, shaping the future landscape of artificial intelligence.
Sources
- Google’s hiring of Character.AI’s founders is the latest sign that part of the AI startup world is starting to implode | Fortune, Fortune.
- Google buys out Character.ai founding team, stoking antitrust concerns - The Washington Post, The Washington Post.
- Did Google Just Pay $2.5 Billion to Hire Character’s CEO? — The Information, The Information.
- Google has hired the founders of this AI startup, read the company's 'welcome note' - Times of India, Times of India.
- Character.AI Co-Founders Return To Google In Licensing Deal 08/05/2024, MediaPost.
