In a significant move, Microsoft has hired Mustafa Suleyman and Karén Simonyan, the creators of the pioneering AI startup Inflection AI, to lead its newly formed consumer AI division, Microsoft AI. This purchase comes after Microsoft’s substantial $1.3 billion investment in Inflection AI, demonstrating the company’s commitment to enhancing its AI solutions.
Particularly noteworthy is Inflection AI’s Pi, a direct competitor to GPT-4, known for its empathetic and supportive interaction capabilities, now poised to influence Microsoft’s consumer-facing AI technologies, including Microsoft Copilot, Windows, and Surface.
Key Takeaways:
- Strategic Appointments: Mustafa Suleyman, with his roots in DeepMind and Inflection AI, steps into Microsoft as EVP and CEO of Microsoft AI, directly under Satya Nadella. Karén Simonyan joins as the Chief Scientist of the division.
- Inflection AI’s Pi: Pi stands out for its unique blend of high emotional intelligence (EQ) with impressive intellectual capabilities (IQ), making it a significant competitor to other large language models like GPT-4. Pi aims to be a supportive companion, offering advice and information in a conversational manner.
- Innovative AI Technologies: The introduction of Inflection-2.5, a robust foundation model powering Pi, showcases Inflection AI’s dedication to pushing the boundaries of AI, blending high IQ with a distinctive empathetic approach, and setting a competitive edge against leading models like GPT-4.
- Future Directions: The move underscores Microsoft’s ambition to dominate the consumer AI space with innovative products. Meanwhile, Inflection AI is pivoting towards an AI studio model, focusing on creating bespoke generative AI models for businesses, with Inflection-2.5 to be hosted on Microsoft Azure, thereby broadening its impact.
References:
Microsoft hires Inflection founders to run new consumer AI division | TechCrunch