[Digital Business Africa] – It's a triumphant return for Noam Shazier to Google. According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, Google paid $2.7 billion (that's $2.7 billion). 1,513 billion CFA francs) For the return of the brilliant artificial intelligence expert, Noam Shazier. Shazier, who left Google in 2021 after a disagreement over chatbot production, is returning with colleague Daniel de Freitas and part of the Character.AI team to join DeepMind, Google's artificial intelligence division.
Key takeaways
– Noam Shazier, one of the leading experts in the field of artificial intelligence, returns to Google after a difficult start to 2021.
Google reportedly paid $2.7 billion to acquire the technology from Character.AI, the startup founded by Shazier.
– Shazier's return is considered the main motivating factor for the acquisition.
Shazier is known for its innovative chatbot “Mina” and its ambition to develop artificial intelligence at the human level.
Shazier, a 48-year-old software engineer and one of Google's first employees, hired in 2000, left the company in 2021 when Google refused to launch Meena, a chatbot he co-developed. After his passing, Shazier and de Freitas founded Character.AI, an AI startup that quickly grew to $1 billion.
Last month, Google and Acter.AI announced that Shazier and his team would be joining DeepMind. The $2.7 billion deal includes not only the acquisition of Character.AI technology, but also the return of Shazeer to Google, which is a key part of the deal.
This agreement allows Google immediate access to Character.AI intellectual property, avoiding lengthy regulatory approval processes. Google employees consider Shazier's return to be the main driver of this acquisition.
Eric Schmidt, former CEO of Google, expressed his admiration for Shazier, describing him as a person capable of developing artificial intelligence at the human level. In 2017, Shazier created Meena, a chatbot capable of dialogue on various topics, which he saw as a potential alternative to the Google search engine. However, Google considered putting it into production too risky at the time.
Ironically, Shazier, once a critic of Google's caution around AI, is now one of three responsible for creating Gemini, Google's next generation AI technology. Thanks to the deal with Character.AI, Shazier also reportedly earned hundreds of millions of dollars.
Successful returns
In the world of technology, many employees quit and were called back to their companies. We can thus mention:
1. Sam Altman and OpenAI: Sam Altman, co-founder and former CEO of OpenAI, was briefly removed from his position in November 2023. However, just four days later, he was reinstated as CEO of the company⁴.
2. Jack Dorsey and Twitter: Jack Dorsey, co-founder of Twitter, left his position as CEO in 2008. He returned in 2015 to hold the reins of the company until his resignation in 2021.
3. Steve Jobs and Apple: One of the most famous examples is Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple. Jobs was fired from the company in 1985, but returned in 1997, turning Apple into one of the most successful technology companies in the world.
4. Bob Iger and Disney: Although he wasn't in the tech sector specifically, former Disney CEO Bob Iger retired in 2020 but returned in 2022 to lead the company again, including overseeing its technology and streaming initiatives.
These examples show that technology companies often realize the value of the talent they have lost and do not hesitate to reintegrate them to benefit from their experience and strategic vision.
Examples of employees who left their companies and were called back to their companies provide several important lessons:
1. Recognizing the value of talent: Companies often realize the unique value and impact of their missing talent. This demonstrates the importance of maintaining good relationships with employees, even after they leave.
2. Flexibility and adaptation: Businesses must be prepared to adapt and reevaluate their decisions. Bringing back key talent may require organizational adjustments, but it can also bring new and innovative perspectives.
3. The importance of vision and leadership: Visionary leaders like Steve Jobs and Jack Dorsey have a significant influence on the strategic direction of their companies. Their return could stimulate innovation and growth.
4. Corporate culture and work environment: A positive work environment and strong company culture can encourage former employees to return. This highlights the importance of creating a workplace where talent feels valued and supported.
5. Learning and growth: Departures and returns can be learning opportunities for both parties. Employees can learn new skills and perspectives from the outside, while companies can learn from past mistakes and improve their talent management practices.
These lessons demonstrate that talent management is a dynamic and ongoing process, where recognition and adaptation play critical roles.
By Digital Business Africa
