Microsoft Appoints Head to New AI Division
Numerous staff members from Suleyman’s Inflection AI startup are set to join this division.
Microsoft has named Mustafa Suleyman, co-founder of DeepMind, as the head of its fresh AI department.[1]
This is the first time at the digital giant that a designated head is in charge of this crucial department. Suleyman leaves rival Inflection AI, where he held a leadership position, to join Microsoft.
Read More: Microsoft Unveils Copilot Key
Suleyman, aged 39, started DeepMind in 2010 alongside Demis Hassabis and Shane Legg, which was later acquired by Google in 2014. It then evolved into Google DeepMind in 2023.
Numerous staff members from Suleyman’s Inflection AI startup are set to join this division.
Karén Simonyan, another Inflection AI co-founder, is joining Suleyman in this endeavor and serving as the division's chief scientist. Given that Simonyan and Suleyman would be directly accountable to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, their leadership would be crucial in advancing Microsoft's AI projects.
I’m excited to announce that today I’m joining @Microsoft as CEO of Microsoft AI. I’ll be leading all consumer AI products and research, including Copilot, Bing and Edge. My friend and longtime collaborator Karén Simonyan will be Chief Scientist, and several of our amazing…
— Mustafa Suleyman (@mustafasuleyman) March 19, 2024
Suleyman, born in north London to a Syrian father and English mother, recently authored a book, "The Coming Wave," discussing both the promises and perils of AI, advocating for increased focus on AI safety research.
In his new role as executive vice president and chief executive officer of the Microsoft AI division, Suleyman will lead the development of the Copilot assistant and work to establish Microsoft as a serious contender in the artificial intelligence space, competing with Silicon Valley's Big Five, especially Google.
Suleyman brings with him fifteen years of expertise as an artificial intelligence leader, technologist, and entrepreneur. After starting his career at Reos Partners, he worked at Greylock, The Economist, and DeepMind.
Microsoft's substantial investment in OpenAI has positioned it as a major player in generative AI, evident in technologies like the Copilot chatbot and Bing browser, which utilize similar technology as ChatGPT.