NAIROBI, Kenya- Google has brought back one of its own, Noam Shazeer, to co-lead its flagship AI project, Gemini.
Shazeer, who previously made waves as the head of Character.AI, will now serve as a technical lead on Gemini, alongside Jeff Dean and Oriol Vinyals.
This high-profile return marks yet another chapter in Google’s efforts to dominate the AI landscape.
Noam Shazeer isn’t just any tech lead. He’s one of the minds behind a 2017 research paper that laid the groundwork for the AI boom we’re witnessing today.
After two decades at Google, Shazeer ventured out to found Character.AI in 2021, a chatbot startup that quickly caught the eye of Silicon Valley’s top investors, raising $193 million and earning a valuation of $1 billion.
However, Shazeer’s journey has now come full circle. In a move that reportedly cost Google billions, the tech giant secured Shazeer’s return along with a handful of his team members, integrating them into DeepMind, Google’s AI division responsible for Gemini.
While Google was initially in talks to invest heavily in Character.AI, the tech giant ultimately decided to bring Shazeer back into the fold, striking a licensing deal with his startup instead.
This is a strategic play akin to similar moves by Amazon and Microsoft, who have also been on a quest to scoop up top AI talent.
But Google’s decision to bring Shazeer back speaks volumes about its intent to lead the AI race.
Gemini, the line of AI models Shazeer will now help steer, is being developed by DeepMind and is poised to be a cornerstone of Google’s AI strategy.
These models are already being integrated into some of Google’s most vital products, including Search and Pixel smartphones, signaling how deeply AI is embedded in the company’s future plans.
Shazeer’s involvement in Gemini comes at a critical time. The project represents Google’s answer to the growing competition in the AI space, with rivals like OpenAI, Amazon, and Microsoft pushing boundaries in generative AI.
As Big Tech companies like Google maneuver to secure top AI talent and advance their technological prowess, they are also facing intense regulatory scrutiny.
The Federal Trade Commission is already examining similar talent acquisitions by Amazon and Microsoft, and while Google’s deal with Shazeer isn’t an acquisition per se, it certainly aligns with these broader trends.
Adding to Google’s regulatory challenges, a U.S. judge recently ruled that the company’s search engine practices violated antitrust laws, accusing Google of creating an illegal monopoly.
This ruling could have far-reaching implications, not just for Google’s search engine dominance but also for its broader AI ambitions.
