Google has paid in billions to bring back an old employee on board again. The search giant handed over $2.7 billion to bring on board Noam Shazeer, one of its early employees, dating back to 2000. He is a brilliant software engineer and AI specialist who substantially contributed to early Google’s start in artificial intelligence.
He left Google in 2021 after disagreements about Meena, the chatbot he co-developed with AI researcher Daniel De Freitas, who envisions that the ability of Meena to mimic human conversation can change the face of search. The incident turned sour when Google’s leadership were more keen on issues of AI’s safety and fairness during communication, leading to his separation from Google.
Undeterred, Shazeer co-founded Character.AI with De Freitas in 2021. The company would specialize in deep AI chatbots, and Shazeer’s deep experience drove them to the top. Just shy of two years later, Character.AI reached over $1 billion valuation and was hailed as one of the best AI startups in Silicon Valley.
Google Pays in Billions to Bring Back an Old Employee – and Secure Cutting-Edge Tech
Acknowledging that Shazeer was key to developing the latest performing AI models, Google signed a $2.7 billion licensing agreement with Character.AI last year. The huge sum paid did not only bring the technology of Character.ai under Google’s shelter but also paved the way for the return of Shazeer. His expertise was required for Google’s upcoming AI work.
Shazeer, alongside De Freitas and part of their research group, went back to Google’s AI subsidiary DeepMind. The deal structure also allowed Google to sidestep regulatory clearance; it assured that the company was willing to seal the technology of Character.AI. Previous Google CEO Eric Schmidt who once said in a public function that Shazeer was the one who would create human-like AI, welcomed him back. In 2015, he said, “If there’s anyone in the world who can do it, it’s him.”
Leadership Role of Shazeer at Next-Generation AI in Google
Back at Google, Shazeer quickly became a key figure behind developing the company’s next-generation AI technology, codenamed Gemini. It is an important position as Google looks ahead to its future in an ever-moving AI environment. Beyond the strategic value, Shazeer stood to make a handsome financial deal, reportedly earning hundreds of millions from his stake in Character.AI.
Google pays in billions to bring back an old employee Shazeer and Character.AI which says a lot about the fact that the company is not willing to lose its leadership in the world of AI development. The return of Shazeer is a great stride for Google in the attempt to push the limits of artificial intelligence.
Also, read: List of Google Offices in India and around the World
