In a major shakeup in the AI industry, Mustafa Suleyman and Karén Simonyan, co-founders of the prominent AI startup Inflection AI, are joining Microsoft to lead the company's newly formed consumer AI division called Microsoft AI.

Key points:

1. Mustafa Suleyman, who previously co-founded DeepMind (acquired by Google in 2014), will serve as EVP and CEO of Microsoft AI, reporting directly to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella.

2. Karén Simonyan, a renowned AI researcher and thought leader, is joining as Chief Scientist in the Microsoft AI group.

3. Several members of the Inflection AI team, including some of the most accomplished AI engineers and researchers, are also moving to Microsoft.

4.Suleyman will lead AI products and research for Microsoft's Copilot, Bing, and Edge.

5. As part of this transition, Inflection AI is shifting its focus to providing an API for its AI models, hosted on Microsoft Azure and other cloud platforms.

6. Microsoft had previously invested in Inflection AI, leading a $1.3 billion funding round less than a year ago.

This high-profile talent acquisition underscores Microsoft's aggressive push to bolster its AI capabilities and innovate in the rapidly evolving AI landscape. CEO Satya Nadella emphasized the importance of this move, stating that the company is only in the second year of the "AI platform shift" and must ensure it has the "capability and capacity to boldly innovate".

WHAT IS INFLECTION AI AND WHAT DOES IT DO

Inflection AI is a technology company founded in 2022 by entrepreneurs Reid Hoffman, Mustafa Suleyman, and Karén Simonyan. It specializes in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, aiming to create personal AI assistants for individuals to make AI technology more accessible and personalized for everyone.

The company has developed machine learning and generative AI hardware and applications, including a chatbot named Pi, designed to provide emotional support, maintain interactive dialogues, and offer kindness and humor in conversations.

Inflection AI has attracted significant attention and investment, securing $1.3 billion in funding in June 2023, with a valuation of $4 billion, from investors like Microsoft, Nvidia, and Reid Hoffman.

The company focuses on redefining human-computer interaction, emphasizing the development of AI technology that is supportive, empathetic, and capable of transforming digital experiences.