Google DeepMind Founder Acknowledges OpenAI's Role in Scaling AI Technology
In a revealing podcast interview, Demis Hassabis, the founder and CEO of Google DeepMind, has openly credited ChatGPT-maker OpenAI and various other artificial intelligence startups with successfully scaling a foundational technology that was originally developed by Google researchers. This acknowledgment highlights a significant moment in the competitive AI landscape where innovation origins and commercialization paths have diverged dramatically.
The Transformer Technology Foundation
Google researchers pioneered the transformer technology back in 2017, which has since become the fundamental architecture underlying almost all contemporary large language models (LLMs). This breakthrough laid the groundwork for the advanced AI systems we see today, yet Google's own journey with this technology took a different trajectory compared to its competitors.
During his appearance on CNBC's The Tech Download podcast, Hassabis reflected on this dynamic, stating that "the company 'maybe' was 'a little bit slow to commercialise it and scale it." He pointed out that while Google excelled at invention, the challenge lay in execution and rapid deployment to the market.
Competitive Pressure and Strategic Response
The launch of OpenAI's ChatGPT in November 2022 served as a wake-up call for Google, forcing the tech giant into a position of playing catch-up in the AI race. Hassabis credited Sam Altman-led OpenAI and other emerging competitors for their adeptness in leveraging Google's own technological advancements to scale their AI chatbots effectively.
In response to this competitive pressure, Google undertook significant internal restructuring. In 2023, the company merged its Brain research division with DeepMind and promoted executive Josh Woodward to oversee the development of its Gemini AI assistant. These strategic moves were designed to accelerate Google's AI initiatives and regain momentum in a rapidly evolving market.
"The last two, three years, I think we've had to come back to almost our startup or entrepreneurial roots and be scrappier, be faster, ship things really quickly and sort of make really rapid progress," Hassabis noted, emphasizing the cultural shift within Google to foster greater agility and innovation speed.
DeepMind's Pivotal Role in Google's AI Resurgence
Much of Google's regained strength in artificial intelligence can be attributed to DeepMind, the UK-based AI company that Google acquired in 2014 for approximately £400 million (nearly $550 million). Hassabis described DeepMind as "the engine room" of Google's AI endeavors, highlighting its central role in driving the company's technological advancements.
"All the AI technologies is done by this group ... and then it's diffused across all of these incredible products right across Google," Hassabis explained during the podcast discussion. He further elaborated that DeepMind has been instrumental in building not just the AI models themselves, but also architecting Google's entire infrastructure to enable rapid product deployment.
Current Competitive Landscape and Future Outlook
The AI industry currently exists in what Hassabis characterized as "a ferocious competitive environment." He revealed that numerous veteran technology professionals with 20 to 30 years of experience have told him this represents "the most intense environment they've ever seen, perhaps ever in the technology industry."
Google faces ongoing competition not only from OpenAI but also from other significant players including Amazon, Perplexity, and Anthropic. This intense rivalry has compelled Google to enhance its operational efficiency and innovation velocity to maintain its position in the market.
Hassabis emphasized his close collaboration with Google CEO Sundar Pichai, noting that they speak "every day" to ensure rapid progress on AI initiatives. This daily communication underscores the strategic importance both leaders place on accelerating Google's AI development and deployment capabilities.
As Google continues to navigate this highly competitive landscape, the company's ability to leverage its deep research capabilities while improving its commercialization speed will likely determine its long-term success in the artificial intelligence domain.
