Character.AI Founders Return to Google
Character.AI Founders Return to Google: Detailed Overview
💻Technology
Featured Chapters
Character.AI Founders Return to Google
00:00:05 - 00:00:08
Regulatory Scrutiny
00:01:34 - 00:01:38
Sources
Google Gets Character.AI Co-founders In New Deal
https://www.crn.com/news/ai/2024/go...
Character.AI CEO Noam Shazeer returns to Google | TechCrunch
https://techcrunch.com/2024/08/02/c...
Not Found
https://www.cnbc.com/2024/08/02/ex-...
Character.AI Cofounders Return to Google
https://www.maginative.com/article/...
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Transcript
Welcome to this in-depth look at the return of Character.AI's founders, Noam Shazeer and Daniel De Freitas, to Google.
Noam Shazeer, the CEO of Character.AI, and Daniel De Freitas, the President, are returning to Google after leaving in 2021 to found Character.AI.
Both Shazeer and De Freitas previously worked at Google, where Shazeer led the team that developed LaMDA, a conversational AI model.
They left Google due to frustrations with the company's approach to AI development.
Character.AI was founded in 2021 and has since become a prominent AI startup, allowing users to create and interact with custom AI characters.
The company has raised over $150 million in funding, primarily from Andreessen Horowitz.
As part of the agreement, Google will hire Shazeer, De Freitas, and a small number of their colleagues from Character.AI's research team.
Google will also obtain a non-exclusive license for Character.AI's current large language model technology.
This licensing agreement will provide Character.AI with increased funding to continue growing and focus on developing personalized AI products.
Shazeer will join Google's DeepMind research team, though his exact role has not been specified.
De Freitas and other team members will also join DeepMind.
Most of Character.AI's staff will remain with the company, which will continue to operate under the leadership of interim CEO Dominic Perella.
The company plans to focus more on fine-tuning existing models and creating new product experiences.
This deal, similar to other recent partnerships between tech giants and AI startups, may face scrutiny from regulatory bodies.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Department of Justice (DoJ) in the U.S., as well as the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in the UK, are all potential players in this regulatory landscape.
"I am super excited to return to Google and work as part of the Google DeepMind team. I am so proud of everything we built at Character.AI over the last 3 years. I am confident that the funds from the non-exclusive Google licensing agreement, together with the incredible Character.AI team, positions Character.AI for continued success in the future". Noam Shazeer, 2024.
"We’re particularly thrilled to welcome back Noam, a preeminent researcher in machine learning, who is joining Google DeepMind’s research team, along with a small number of his colleagues". Google Spokesperson, 2024.
This move is part of a broader trend where AI startups are partnering with or being acquired by larger tech companies, highlighting the intense competition for talent and technology in the AI sector.
Noam Shazeer, the CEO of Character.AI, and Daniel De Freitas, the President, are returning to Google after leaving in 2021 to found Character.AI.
Both Shazeer and De Freitas previously worked at Google, where Shazeer led the team that developed LaMDA, a conversational AI model.
They left Google due to frustrations with the company's approach to AI development.
Character.AI was founded in 2021 and has since become a prominent AI startup, allowing users to create and interact with custom AI characters.
The company has raised over $150 million in funding, primarily from Andreessen Horowitz.
As part of the agreement, Google will hire Shazeer, De Freitas, and a small number of their colleagues from Character.AI's research team.
Google will also obtain a non-exclusive license for Character.AI's current large language model technology.
This licensing agreement will provide Character.AI with increased funding to continue growing and focus on developing personalized AI products.
Shazeer will join Google's DeepMind research team, though his exact role has not been specified.
De Freitas and other team members will also join DeepMind.
Most of Character.AI's staff will remain with the company, which will continue to operate under the leadership of interim CEO Dominic Perella.
The company plans to focus more on fine-tuning existing models and creating new product experiences.
This deal, similar to other recent partnerships between tech giants and AI startups, may face scrutiny from regulatory bodies.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Department of Justice (DoJ) in the U.S., as well as the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in the UK, are all potential players in this regulatory landscape.
"I am super excited to return to Google and work as part of the Google DeepMind team. I am so proud of everything we built at Character.AI over the last 3 years. I am confident that the funds from the non-exclusive Google licensing agreement, together with the incredible Character.AI team, positions Character.AI for continued success in the future". Noam Shazeer, 2024.
"We’re particularly thrilled to welcome back Noam, a preeminent researcher in machine learning, who is joining Google DeepMind’s research team, along with a small number of his colleagues". Google Spokesperson, 2024.
This move is part of a broader trend where AI startups are partnering with or being acquired by larger tech companies, highlighting the intense competition for talent and technology in the AI sector.