Microsoft has revealed plans to establish a new research and development-focused artificial intelligence (AI) facility in London. Mustafa Suleyman, a London-born cofounder of Google DeepMind whom Microsoft hired last month, will serve as the unit's leader.
Why it's Important
As the main investor in the company that created ChatGPT, OpenAI, Microsoft is a global leader in this quickly evolving field. However, within the past 18 months, competition for AI talent has intensified throughout Europe. Microsoft might try to hire specialists from other AI-focused businesses, like DeepMind or OpenAI, to work in its new division.
This action is also a victory for Britain, which has been working to strengthen its position as a technological powerhouse ever since it hosted the first-ever worldwide meeting on AI safety in November.
Context
Microsoft appointed Suleyman, a cofounder of DeepMind, to lead its internal AI branch last month. Suleyman took dozens of employees with him when he left his own freshly established business, Inflection AI, to join Microsoft. Some people were critical of the decision since Microsoft was able to escape the regulatory scrutiny that typically accompanies a traditional acquisition by moving employees.
By the Numbers
The news builds on Microsoft's recent pledge to invest 2.5 billion pounds ($3.16 billion) on data center infrastructure and enhancing AI skills throughout Britain, even though it is yet unclear how many jobs the new center would produce.
Important Quote
My close collaboration with influential figures in the UK government, corporate sector, and academia has led me to believe that the nation is dedicated to the responsible advancement of AI, prioritizing safety above all else in order to stimulate investment, creativity, and economic expansion. In a blog post that the corporation published on Monday, Suleyman wrote.
This goal is reflected in our choice to establish this hub in the UK.
