Microsoft is opening a brand new AI unit in London, placing itself firmly on the turf of its greatest AI rival: Google DeepMind.
The announcement comes simply weeks after Microsoft employed DeepMind cofounder Mustafa Suleyman to run its new AI division. In a weblog submit revealed Monday, Suleyman stated the brand new London unit will probably be run by former DeepMind researcher Jordan Huffman.
Microsoft already has workplaces within the UK’s capital and beforehand pledged to speculate £2.5 billion in UK knowledge facilities over the subsequent three years. However the truth this new hub is targeted totally on AI — and is being run by former DeepMinders — ought to give Google loads of causes to fret. Within the battle for prime AI expertise, a much bigger London presence may very well be a savvy transfer for Microsoft.
“There is a gigantic pool of AI expertise and experience within the UK, and Microsoft AI plans to make a major, long-term funding within the area as we start hiring the most effective AI scientists and engineers into this new AI hub,” wrote Suleyman within the announcement on Monday.
DeepMind, which was based in 2010 and purchased by Google in 2014, has lengthy been thought-about the crown jewel of the UK’s AI scene. It is also develop into an more and more important asset to Google, which for a few years allowed the AI subsidiary to function independently.
Final yr, in response to elevated stress from rivals corresponding to OpenAI, Google merged DeepMind with its central AI unit Mind, forming the brand new Google DeepMind.
Google DeepMind, which has greater than 2,000 workers, is main work on Gemini, the corporate’s reply to OpenAI’s GPT-4 giant language mannequin, making it a vital piece in Google’s technique for synthetic intelligence.
However as rivals corresponding to Meta and Microsoft attempt to shore up their synthetic intelligence models with larger sources and expertise, they’re making an attempt to poach a few of Google’s prized researchers, with stories of $10 million pay packets. Meta itself just lately misplaced three prime AI workers, whereas Google has misplaced a gradual stream of workers to OpenAI over the previous yr.
Startups are additionally beginning to pay extra for early-stage hires in an effort to compete with Huge Tech affords, Alex Libre, the cofounder and principal recruiter of Einstellen Expertise, just lately advised BI’s Aaron Mok.
Google DeepMind has been making an attempt to retain expertise by providing larger compensation packages to some workers, based on folks aware of the matter. In a single case, Google cofounder Sergey Brin referred to as a DeepMind researcher who was making ready to depart OpenAI and satisfied them to remain.
Because the Huge Tech AI arms race for expertise continues to warmth up, Google might need to work even more durable to stem the bleeding.
Have you ever labored at Google? Do you’ve got extra insights to share? Attain this reporter securely on Sign (628-228-1836) or e-mail (hlangley@businessinsider.com).
