Sergey Brin, one of the co-founders of Google, has returned to the tech giant's headquarters in Mountain View. He stepped down from his executive position at Alphabet back in 2019.
Reportedly visiting the California office multiple times a week, the entrepreneur has taken a hands-on role in driving the advancement of Google's next artificial intelligence (AI) system.
Sergey's New Involvement With Google
The Wall Street Journal reports that Brin is currently deeply involved in developing "Gemini," Google's highly anticipated AI model.
This next-generation AI system has become the focal point of Brin's attention as he collaborates closely with researchers, delving into technical intricacies such as "loss curves" and conducting weekly discussions on cutting-edge AI research with Google employees.
His influence also extends to personnel matters, including hiring researchers who can strengthen Gemini's capabilities.
Google's Gemini AI
The primary goal behind Gemini is to construct a general-purpose AI program that can rival the likes of OpenAI's GPT-4 model, which currently powers a widely popular paid version known as ChatGPT.
The ambitious project falls under the guidance of Demis Hassabis, the CEO of Google DeepMind, who has disclosed that the program will become available for public use later this year.
Brin's immersion into Google's AI endeavors signifies a critical moment in AI research and underscores his unwavering passion for the revolutionary technology that Google helped pioneer.
His return comes amidst mounting competition in the AI research race, with Meta and other industry giants offering their AI innovations.
Google CEO Sundar Pichai Welcomes Brin
Sundar Pichai, the CEO of both Google and Alphabet, has warmly embraced Brin's involvement in the AI efforts, reflecting a positive working relationship between the tech giants' key figures.
Interestingly, Brin's interest in AI was not always as profound. In the early stages, he harbored some skepticism about the potential of AI research undertaken by the Brain team at Google.
Moreover, WSJ tells us that Google has encountered personnel challenges in the AI field, as some researchers involved in the company's landmark 2017 AI development paper have since ventured out to establish their own competitive startups.
It is essential to note that despite relinquishing their daily roles in 2019, Google's co-founders, Larry Page, and Sergey Brin, maintained full control of Alphabet owing to their substantial voting power.
What's Next?
The sudden rise of ChatGPT, which gained significant traction last year, prompted Google's executives to prioritize the development of AI products to keep pace with the rapidly evolving AI market.
Brin's primary focus appears to be lending support to the Gemini team, particularly during the critical hiring process, as Google has experienced the departure of several top-notch researchers from its AI division.
Earlier this year, Google unveiled its ambitious plans to launch over 20 AI products, with some already available to users, such as Android's personalized wallpaper maker for Pixel phones.
Stay posted here at Tech Times.