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Google paid $2.7 billion to rehire AI expert Noam Shazeer, who left in 2021.
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Shazeer co-founded (link unavailable), valued at $1 billion, after leaving Google.
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Shazeer returns to lead Google’s AI unit DeepMind, overseeing Gemini AI development.
Google reportedly paid $2.7 billion to bring back renowned AI expert Noam Shazeer, who left the company three years ago. Shazeer, a software engineer and early Google hire, departed in 2021 after a disagreement over a chatbot he co-developed.
Shazeer co-founded (link unavailable) with colleague Daniel De Freitas, which became a top AI startup in Silicon Valley, valued at $1 billion. Last month, Google and (link unavailable) announced that Shazeer, De Freitas, and some team members would join Google’s AI unit DeepMind.
Noam Shazeer’s return to Google is seen as a significant move, with former CEO Eric Schmidt praising his abilities. Shazeer previously created Meena, a chatbot capable of engaging humans across various topics. He now oversees the development of Gemini, Google’s cutting-edge AI technology.
Shazeer’s reunion with Google comes after criticizing the company’s cautious approach to AI development. As part of the deal, Shazeer reportedly made hundreds of millions from his stake in (link unavailable) His return is expected to boost Google’s AI capabilities and drive innovation.
