Microsoft Hires DeepMind Co-founder Mustafa Suleyman as Head of New AI Unit

Jace Dela Cruz, Tech Times 21 March 2024, 02:03 am

Microsoft has announced that Mustafa Suleyman, co-founder of DeepMind, will lead a newly formed consumer AI unit within the tech giant.

Suleyman's reputation as a prominent figure in the artificial intelligence landscape adds weight to Microsoft's move, particularly considering the company's existing collaborations with OpenAI, the organization behind ChatGPT.

"I'm very excited to announce that Mustafa Suleyman and Karén Simonyan are joining Microsoft to form a new organization called Microsoft AI, focused on advancing Copilot and our other consumer AI products and research," Satya Nadella, Microsoft's Chief Executive Officer, said in a blog post.

2023 Concordia Annual Summit - September 18 — NEW YORK, NEW YORK—SEPTEMBER 18: Co-founder of Inflection Mustafa Suleyman speaks onstage during the 2023 Concordia Annual Summit at Sheraton, New York, on September 18, 2023, in New York City.
(Photo: Riccardo Savi/Getty Images for Concordia Summit)

Microsoft Appoints Mustafa Suleyman to Lead its New AI Unit

Nadella shared the news with employees, emphasizing the significance of this organizational shift in the context of the ongoing evolution of the AI platform.

Highlighting the pivotal role of innovation in shaping the future of the industry, Nadella underscored the importance of building world-class AI products like Copilot that resonate with end-users.

Joining Suleyman in this venture is Karén Simonyan, co-founder and Chief Scientist of Inflection, who brings a wealth of experience in AI research and development to the table. Simonyan's track record includes spearheading projects such as AlphaZero.

The addition of key members from the Inflection team further enhances Microsoft's AI capabilities, with seasoned engineers, researchers, and builders poised to contribute their expertise to consumer AI research and product development.

"At our core, we have always been a platform and partner-led company, and we'll continue to bring that sensibility to all we do. Our AI innovation continues to build on our most strategic and important partnership with OpenAI. We will continue to build AI infrastructure inclusive of custom systems and silicon work in support of OpenAI's foundation model roadmap, and also innovate and build products on top of their foundation models," Nadella said.

Who Else is Included in the AI Unit?

Existing teams responsible for flagship products such as Copilot, Bing, and Edge will now report to Suleyman, signaling a strategic realignment to capitalize on the evolving consumer product landscape driven by the AI platform shift.

Kevin Scott, Microsoft's Chief Technology Officer and Executive Vice President of AI, will continue to play a pivotal role in shaping the company's AI strategy and initiatives, ensuring coherence and alignment across the organization.

Meanwhile, Rajesh Jha, Executive Vice President of Experiences & Devices, will maintain leadership over key initiatives such as Copilot for Microsoft 365, further reinforcing Microsoft's commitment to delivering AI-driven solutions that resonate with users across various domains.

"We have been operating with speed and intensity and this infusion of new talent will enable us to accelerate our pace yet again. We have a real shot to build technology that was once thought impossible and that lives up to our mission to ensure the benefits of AI reach every person and organization on the planet, safely and responsibly. I'm looking forward to doing so with you," Nadella said in a statement.