Senior AI Scientists at Google May Depart to Establish New AI Startup
(Reuters) – A pair of researchers at Google’s artificial intelligence subsidiary DeepMind are in talks with investors to set up an artificial intelligence startup in Paris, Bloomberg News reported on Friday, citing people familiar with the discussions.
Researchers Laurent Sifre and Karl Tuyls, who have already announced their departure from DeepMind, have held talks with investors about a funding round that could raise more than 200 million euros ($217.84 million), according to the report.
The company, currently known as Holistic, may focus on building a new AI model, the report added.
Google and DeepMind did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment.
Alphabet-owned Google bought DeepMind about a decade ago to fuel AI research, and has now launched its own offerings to compete with generative AI chatbots like Microsoft-backed ChatGPT.
Paris-based Mistral AI, founded by a former DeepMind researcher, said in December it had raised 385 million euros ($419.34 million) in a second funding round in seven months.
