Google and DeepMind, both giant tech companies, are reportedly coming together to face the growing threat of AI development by a third company, OpenAI. This is despite years of rivalry between the two Google-owned labs, a process which could potentially spark resignations and ruffle feathers within the two organizations.
The combination of DeepMind, a London-based lab bought by Google for $500 million in 2014, and Google’s Brain division seeks to unify resources to ward off the competition. This restructuring is said to be necessary in order to ensure Google’s survival in the face of other AI risks such as Microsoft’s multibillion-dollar investment in AI ChatGPT tools.
This collaboration could have consequences internally, according to people familiar with the matter. DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis has reportedly fought for years to maintain the lab’s independence from Google, with a plan called “Mario” in case of potential misuse of technology by the search giant. However, with OpenAI threatening to potentially steal away users from Google’s core search engine, collaboration between the two is seen as necessary for ensuring Google’s continued success.
During an earnings call on Tuesday, Google CEO Sundar Pichai said the new unit would be in charge of speeding progress and developing AI systems responsibly. This suggests that Google and DeepMind are both committed to the collaboration and taking on the challenge ahead.
Google is one of the world’s largest tech companies and has had a long history of AI development within their organization. As a platform, their mission is to make the world’s information universally accessible and they continue to strive towards that goal with their development of AI. DeepMind, on the other hand, is Google’s London-based AI lab launched in 2012 which focuses on developing general artificial intelligence and applying it to various existing and future technologies.
Demis Hassabis is the co-founder and CEO of DeepMind. He has an established history in AI development, and was previously a top chess player and a video game designer. His accomplishments include completing PhDs in AI, Cognitive Neuroscience and Computer Science. He was also was an Entrepreneur First fellow and a principal investigator at the Gatsby Computational Neuroscience Unit at University College London. With Google and DeepMind’s joint efforts, Hassabis will be at the forefront in taking on the new challenge of OpenAI.
