Character.AI CEO Noam Shazeer Returns to Google

In an unexpected turn of events, Noam Shazeer, co-founder and CEO of Character.AI, is heading back to Google. This move comes nearly three years after he left the tech giant to start his own a16z-backed venture.

Shazeer played a vital role at Google before founding Character.AI, leading the team that developed LaMDA, a significant advancement in conversational AI tools. Now, he’s set to rejoin the company, bringing along some key team members from his startup.

A Return to Familiar Grounds

Shazeer is not coming back alone. He’ll be accompanied by Daniel De Freitas, his co-founder, and a few other employees from Character.AI. Dominic Perella, Character.AI’s General Counsel, will step in as the interim CEO at the startup.

Most of the staff, however, are staying put. They aim to continue their current work, bolstered by a new, non-exclusive licensing agreement with Google, which will provide the required funds for Character.AI to thrive.

Part of Google DeepMind

Shazeer and his team are joining the Google DeepMind research group. Google’s official statement expressed excitement about the return of one of its key AI researchers.

Google articulated its positive outlook, stating that this new agreement will provide Character.AI with increased funding to develop and deploy personalized AI products globally.

Building on Previous Success

Character.AI has secured over $150 million in funding, mainly from a16z. Their goal was to create personalized superintelligence through a comprehensive approach. This involved pre-training and post-training models to power unique user experiences.

Over time, the landscape altered. More pre-trained models became accessible, prompting Character.AI to leverage third-party LLMs. This shift allows them to allocate additional resources to post-training and creating new product experiences.

Market Reactions and Speculations

There’s some concern about regulatory scrutiny. The FTC and the DOJ in the U.S., along with the EU, may closely examine Google’s reverse acqui-hires of Shazeer and his team.

Recently, the CMA in the U.K. issued a notice regarding Microsoft’s hiring from Inflection AI, hinting at a pattern. The FTC also began investigating a $650 million deal by Microsoft in June.

Shazeer’s Vision and Future Goals

Shazeer expressed his excitement about rejoining Google. In his statement, he shared his pride in Character.AI’s accomplishments and his optimism about the future.

He believes that with the funds from the Google licensing agreement and the dedicated Character.AI team, the startup is well-positioned for continued success.

Google’s Perspective

Google praised Shazeer as a preeminent machine learning researcher. They emphasized their joy at welcoming him back to their fold.

Both companies expressed positivity about future collaborations and the potential for significant advancements in AI applications.

A New Chapter for Character.AI

This transition marks a significant pivot for Character.AI. With the new resources and ongoing support from Google, the startup aims to push the boundaries of AI innovations.

The journey forward promises to be exciting as both entities leverage their strengths to explore new frontiers in artificial intelligence.

Noam Shazeer’s return to Google signifies a new era for both him and Character.AI. Merging past expertise with future ambitions, this move is poised to drive exciting developments in AI research.

As the industry watches closely, the collaboration between Character.AI and Google is expected to bring forth cutting-edge innovations in personalized AI experiences.

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Emmanuel Kesse

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