In a jaw-dropping move, Google has paid a staggering $2.7 billion to rehire Noam Shazeer, a 48-year-old AI genius who once left the tech giant to launch his own startup. Shazeer, a key figure in the AI revolution, initially departed Google in 2021 after his request to release a chatbot—developed with colleague Daniel De Freitas—was denied. Undeterred, Shazeer co-founded Character.AI, a startup that rapidly grew into a billion-dollar company, capturing the attention of Silicon Valley.
Character.AI’s groundbreaking technology prompted Google to act fast. Desperate to regain Shazeer’s expertise and tap into his startup’s innovations, Google not only licensed Character.AI’s technology but also secured Shazeer’s return to lead their AI efforts—particularly the development of their cutting-edge Gemini project.
The $2.7 billion deal allowed Google immediate access to Character.AI’s intellectual property without regulatory delays, highlighting how vital Shazeer’s contributions are for the company’s AI future. Industry insiders speculate that his return marks a critical turning point for Google in the competitive AI race.
With Shazeer back at the helm, Google aims to push the boundaries of AI like never before—raising anticipation for what’s next in their AI revolution.
