Google and DeepMind announced the creation of a new group called Google DeepMind that will combine the infrastructure and research of two units within Alphabet in order to achieve faster and stronger progress and collaboration.
Google Brain and Google DeepMind
The announcement said that Google was combining the resources of two units:
- Google Brain unit from Google Research
- DeepMind
DeepMind was an independent AI research company that Google acquired in 2014 and became a subsidiary of Alphabet.
Now the two units will join together with a new leadership structure.
Google Research is a unit within Google that researches broad areas of technology and computer science such as health, sustainability, quantum computing and algorithms.
Google research will remain the same, only without the Google Brain part that was focused on AI development, which will now be a part of the new Google DeepMind.
Sundar Pichai mentioned the mission of Google Research (which is separate from Google DeepMind):
“Google Research will continue its important work leading fundamental advances in computer science across areas such as algorithms and theory, privacy and security, quantum computing, health, climate and sustainability and responsible AI, and will report in to James Manyika along with his existing Tech & Society teams.”
The idea behind this move is to make the two units (Google Brain and DeepMind) more powerful and faster.
From the DeepMind announcement:
“DeepMind and the Brain team from Google Research will be joining forces as a single, focused unit called Google DeepMind.
Combining our talents and efforts will accelerate our progress towards a world in which AI helps solve the biggest challenges facing humanity, and I’m incredibly excited to be leading this unit and working with all of you to build it.”
Is Google DeepMind the Magi Task Force?
Google DeepMind is not the task force that was recently reported to be working on the next generation AI powered search code-named Magi.
The focus of the new unit, called Google DeepMind, is broader and encompasses more than just one product.
Sundar Pichai’s announcement noted that the first big products will be a series of “powerful” multimodal AI models.
Multimodal AI refers to an AI that encompasses more than just text content and is able to computer with visual, auditory and even video inputs.
It’s possible that the Magi task force is a part of Google DeepMind but this was not discussed in either announcements from Alphabet’s Sundar Pichai or from the announcement posted on the DeepMind website.
The focus of Google DeepMind is on achieving maximum impact in the field of AI in a safe and responsible manner.
DeepMind CEO, Demis Hassabis, shared the vision of the new Google DeepMind:
“…we have a real opportunity to deliver AI research and products that dramatically improve the lives of billions of people, transform industries, advance science, and serve diverse communities.”
Read Sundar Pichai’s announcement:
Google DeepMind: Bringing together two world-class AI teams
Read the announcement from DeepMind:
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