Microsoft hires DeepMind co-founder Mustafa Suleyman to run its new consumer AI unit

In a strategic move signaling its ambition in the AI space, Microsoft announced on Tuesday it hired Mustafa Suleyman, one of the brains behind Google DeepMind, to spearhead its newly formed consumer AI unit dubbed Microsoft AI. Suleyman, who also led the charge at AI startup Inflection, will take the reins in amalgamating consumer-centric offerings such as Copilot, Bing, and Edge under one unified team.

Alongside Suleyman, Microsoft is set to onboard a significant portion of Inflection’s talent pool, comprising AI engineers, researchers, and adept builders of large language models. This move coincides with Inflection’s strategic pivot, shifting its focus from consumer chatbot endeavors to catering enterprise-grade AI solutions for businesses, Arstechnica reported.

The announcement comes hot on the heels of Inflection AI’s recent unveiling of Inflection 2.5, a more user-friendly AI assistant boasting GPT-4-like performance with significantly reduced computational overhead.

Microsoft’s strategic maneuver underscores its fervent pursuit of generative AI technologies, epitomized by its hefty $13 billion investment in OpenAI, the force behind ChatGPT. This early adoption has positioned Microsoft ahead of the curve in the Silicon Valley race for AI deployment, with rivals such as Google scrambling to catch up. Not content with merely hitching onto OpenAI’s bandwagon, Microsoft has also inked deals with other AI startups, including the French outfit Mistral.

Under Suleyman’s stewardship, Microsoft’s AI unit will delve into a myriad of projects, from integrating AI-powered Copilot into the Windows ecosystem to elevating the prowess of generative AI within the Bing search engine.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella lauded Suleyman’s appointment, citing his track record as a visionary leader and builder of pioneering teams, emphasizing his instrumental role in propelling bold missions forward.

“I’ve known Mustafa for several years and have greatly admired him as a founder of both DeepMind and Inflection, and as a visionary, product maker and builder of pioneering teams that go after bold missions,” Nadella said in a statement on Tuesday.

The narrative of Mustafa Suleyman traces back to his co-founding of DeepMind in 2010 alongside childhood friend Demis Hassabis and Shane Legg. The journey led to Google’s acquisition of DeepMind in 2014, marking a pivotal moment in the tech industry’s fascination with AI.

However, controversies brewed over DeepMind’s projects, including its involvement in the UK healthcare sector, leading to Suleyman’s temporary leave amid staff grievances over his management style. Nonetheless, Suleyman’s journey saw him resurface at Google, later transitioning to Silicon Valley venture capital firm Greylock, and eventually birthing Inflection.

Inflection, now set to refocus its efforts on enterprise AI solutions, underscores the dynamic nature of the AI landscape, with Suleyman’s leadership poised to drive innovation and disrupt traditional paradigms.

As Suleyman embarks on this new chapter at Microsoft, the tech industry eagerly anticipates the synergies and breakthroughs that his expertise and vision will usher in, further solidifying Microsoft’s stance as a frontrunner in the ever-evolving realm of AI.