Microsoft Poaches Former Google DeepMind Researchers to Develop AI Technology
Microsoft’s artificial intelligence head Mustafa Suleyman has poached his former colleagues at Google DeepMind who built its popular podcast-generating feature, as the rival companies race to build lucrative applications from the cutting-edge technology.
A New Era for AI
Suleyman, a British entrepreneur who co-founded DeepMind in 2010, has hired Marco Tagliasacchi and Zalán Borsos, two senior scientists behind “Audio Overviews” which is part of Google’s AI research tool NotebookLM. The feature allows users to transform text into audio that has the style of an engaging conversational podcast.
Key Hires
The pair also worked on Astra, DeepMind’s upcoming AI agent, which can answer questions in real time across video, audio and text. A third hire, Matthias Minderer, will focus on developing vision capabilities, or the ability for AI models to analyse images. The researchers will join Microsoft’s new AI lab in Zurich.
The Future of AI
A person familiar with the hires said the researchers were integral to Suleyman’s push to build the next generation of Copilot, as Microsoft seeks to create interactive AI agents which can complete tasks from booking flights to managing calendars.
“It’s a stellar team and will be an important hub for [Microsoft AI] alongside our London office, which is growing fast too!” Suleyman wrote on LinkedIn. “AI continues to be a transformative force, with audio playing a critical role in shaping more natural, intuitive and immersive interactions,” wrote Tagliasacchi on LinkedIn.
A Battle for Talent
The move comes amid a fierce battle for talent between rival tech groups for the best AI talent. Suleyman left DeepMind in 2022 to work as a venture investor, and later created AI start-up Inflection.
He joined Microsoft in March 2024 as part of a deal that brought several members of Inflection’s staff to the US tech giant. Suleyman has hired members of Google DeepMind’s health AI unit, as well as prominent AI researchers from the company such as Nando de Freitas. Google has also lost top AI talent to competitor Apple.
Conclusion
The poaching of former Google DeepMind researchers by Microsoft is a significant move in the battle for AI talent. As companies like Microsoft and Google continue to develop cutting-edge AI technology, the competition for top talent will only intensify.
FAQs
Q: What is Microsoft’s goal with the new AI lab?
A: Microsoft aims to create interactive AI agents that can complete tasks such as booking flights and managing calendars.
Q: What is Google DeepMind’s response to the poaching?
A: Google DeepMind declined to comment on the matter.
Q: What is the significance of the Audio Overviews feature?
A: The feature allows users to transform text into audio that has the style of an engaging conversational podcast.
Q: Who are the key hires at Microsoft?
A: Marco Tagliasacchi, Zalán Borsos, and Matthias Minderer are the key hires at Microsoft.
