Link: Desperate Google Paid $2.7 Billion to Get a Single AI Researcher Back

Google reportedly spent $2.7 billion to rehire AI expert Noam Shazeer, emphasizing the extreme lengths tech companies will go to regain top talent. Shazeer, who left Google in 2021 to start Character.AI, was primarily rehired for his expertise, making the deal a strategic move by Google.

The official reason for the hefty sum was to license technology from Shazeer's startup, Character.AI.

However, insiders believe Shazeer's return was the main motivation behind the deal.

This transaction underscores the vast amounts being spent by tech firms to secure a competitive edge in the AI industry.

Simultaneously, it raises concerns among Silicon Valley investors about the sustainability of such spending without clear returns.

Shazeer wasn't the direct recipient of the $2.7 billion, yet he earned hundreds of millions from his stake in the startup.

His role was crucial in pioneering Google's early AI developments, shaping today's advanced language models.

Despite the controversy, Shazeer's return to Google coincides with a trend of tech giants poaching top AI talent to maintain an innovative advantage.

As companies invest billions in AI, the industry waits to see whether these gambles will pay off or falter. #

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