Google DeepMind Co-Founder Joins Microsoft as CEO of New AI Division
Microsoft has made a significant move by hiring Google DeepMind co-founder, Mustafa Suleyman, as the CEO of its new team dedicated to consumer-facing AI products such as Copilot, Bing, and Edge. Suleyman will also take on the role of Executive Vice President of Microsoft AI and will report directly to CEO Satya Nadella. This strategic hire comes after Suleyman's involvement in founding DeepMind in 2010, which was later acquired by Google in 2014.
Despite his leave from DeepMind in 2019 due to controversy surrounding his leadership projects and allegations of bullying staff, Suleyman's expertise and experience make him a valuable addition to Microsoft's AI division. Alongside Suleyman, Microsoft is also bringing on board key members of Suleyman's startup, Inflection AI, including co-founder Karén Simonyan, who will serve as the chief scientist of the consumer AI group. Kevin Scott will continue in his role as Microsoft's Chief Technology Officer and Executive Vice President of AI.
Microsoft's CEO, Satya Nadella, expressed his admiration for Suleyman's visionary approach and highlighted the potential to develop groundbreaking technology that aligns with Microsoft's mission to make AI benefits accessible to all in a safe and responsible manner. Microsoft's commitment to AI is evident through its partnerships with OpenAI and recent collaborations with AI startup Mistral.
The formation of this new AI team does not overshadow Microsoft's existing partnerships as the company plans to continue investing in AI infrastructure, custom systems, and silicon work to support OpenAI's foundation models. Microsoft's recent AI initiatives include the introduction of Bing Chat (now Copilot) and integrating AI assistants into Office products, Windows 11, and Edge.
Looking ahead, Microsoft is gearing up for a special AI event preceding its Build conference in May, where it is expected to unveil more details about its AI strategy for Windows and Surface devices. With Mustafa Suleyman at the helm of Microsoft's new AI division, the company is poised to make significant advancements in consumer-facing AI products and technologies.