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AI Leadership Shifts: Major Talent Moves Propel Innovation in Tech Industry

OpenAI has recruited a prominent artificial intelligence researcher from Microsoft, marking a significant talent acquisition in the competitive AI landscape. Sebastien Bubeck, who previously held the position of vice president of AI and distinguished scientist at Microsoft, has decided to join OpenAI to further his work on developing artificial general intelligence (AGI).

Bubeck’s departure from Microsoft, where he had been a key figure for a decade, was first reported by The Information. During his tenure at Microsoft, Bubeck played a crucial role in the company’s AI research efforts, most recently serving as vice president of generative AI research.

A Microsoft spokesperson acknowledged Bubeck’s departure, stating, “Sebastien has decided to leave Microsoft to further his work toward developing AGI. We appreciate the contributions Sebastien has made to Microsoft and look forward to continuing our relationship through his work with OpenAI.”

This move comes amid an ongoing partnership between Microsoft and OpenAI, with Microsoft having invested over $13 billion in the AI research company. The collaboration provides OpenAI with substantial computing resources and funding, while granting Microsoft access to cutting-edge AI technology. However, recent reports suggest that Microsoft has been developing its own large language model separate from OpenAI’s GPT-4, while OpenAI executives have expressed concerns about Microsoft’s pace in providing computing power.

In a related development, OpenAI has recently established an office in Bellevue, Washington, in close proximity to Microsoft’s headquarters in Redmond.

In other tech industry moves, Jon Jenkins, formerly of Amazon, has joined Lime, a mobility company, as its new chief technology officer. Jenkins previously led Amazon’s cashierless technology efforts as vice president of “Just Walk Out,” the company’s checkout-free shopping system used in its grocery stores and by other retailers.

Expressing enthusiasm for his new role, Jenkins stated on LinkedIn, “I’m excited to be a member of the team bringing sustainable, convenient, affordable transportation to people around the globe. We’ve got a lot of fun technical challenges to solve as we innovate toward the future of shared transportation.”

Jenkins brings a diverse background to Lime, having previously held positions such as director of engineering at Hestan Smart Cooking, head of engineering at Pinterest, and co-founder of a Seattle-based cooking startup called Meld.

In academic circles, renowned artificial intelligence researcher Yejin Choi has announced her plans to join Stanford University. Choi, who is leaving her positions at the University of Washington and the Allen Institute for AI (AI2) in Seattle, will become a professor in Stanford’s Computer Science Department and a senior fellow at the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HAI) starting in the summer of 2025.

Before her official start at Stanford, Choi will spend a “gap year” working at Nvidia as senior director of LLM research. Her last day at the University of Washington is set for December 31 of this year. Choi’s expertise in natural language processing has earned her recognition as a 2022 MacArthur Fellow and a place on Time’s list of Most Influential People in AI.

In the gaming industry, Craig Duncan, studio chief at Rare, is set to take over as head of Xbox Game Studios. Duncan will replace longtime Microsoft leader Alan Hartman, who is retiring next month, according to reports from The Verge.

Lastly, Seattle-based electric vehicle charging infrastructure startup Electric Era has appointed Kyler Schmitz as its chief revenue officer. Schmitz brings over nine years of experience from Amazon Web Services to his new role.