Noam Shazeer is back at Google, and this time he’s aiming for AGI

Noam Shazeer, a key figure in transformer model development, is leading Google's push towards artificial general intelligence. Initially hesitant, Google is now aggressively pursuing generative AI, with its Gemini models at the forefront. Despite competition, Shazeer believes Google's strengths, including its researchers and technology ownership, position it for leadership. He briefly left Google to found Character.AI, criticizing Google's cautious approach. Google subsequently reacquired Character.AI for a reported $2.7 billion, bringing Shazeer back as a vice president. He now plays a crucial role in developing Google's Gemini models. Google faces challenges from AI's impact on search and regulations. However, Shazeer anticipates a paradigm shift where Google's expertise will be crucial. He envisions Google expanding its mission from information access to intelligence empowerment, generating immense value. This marks a significant shift in Google's AI strategy and ambitions.