Google ramps up AI talent hunt with Mechanize acquisition
What's the story
Google has officially acquired San Francisco-based artificial intelligence (AI) start-up, Mechanize. The deal, which is said to be worth over $1.5 billion, was completed recently. As part of the acquisition, Mechanize's co-founder and former CEO Tamay Besiroglu has joined DeepMind as a research scientist. The move comes as part of Google's strategy to bolster its AI capabilities amid fierce competition in the sector.
Strategic move
Over a dozen former employees join Google
The acquisition also sees over a dozen former Mechanize employees joining Google.
Many of them are now working on Google's "midtraining" efforts, a key aspect of training and refining AI models.
The move not only brings experienced researchers to Google but also the technology and expertise associated with one of the most competitive areas in AI: coding tasks.
Coding competition
Mechanize's technology bolsters Google's AI capabilities
Mechanize was primarily focused on improving the coding capabilities of AI models.
The start-up's technology was designed to make AI systems better at coding, an area where Google has struggled in the past.
This acquisition gives Google a leg up in this space, as it now has access to both talent and technology that can help improve its own AI models.
Financial history
Acquisition reflects Google's commitment to AI advancement
Earlier this year, Mechanize raised $9.1 million at a reported valuation of $500 million.
The deal with Google shows the tech giant's confidence in the start-up's potential.
This acquisition is in line with Google's ongoing strategy of acquiring top AI talent to stay ahead in the fast-evolving world of AI-powered development.