Scientists at Google DeepMind, Alphabet’s AI division, are said to be in discussions with potential investors about creating an AI startup in Paris.
The team, including DeepMind scientists Laurent Sifre and Karl Tuyls, is reportedly in talks for a financing round that may exceed EUR 200 million (approximately Rs. 1,800 crore). Sifre, known for his work on the 2016 DeepMind research on Go, and Tuyls, focusing on game theory and multi-agent reinforcement learning, are considered leaders in the field. The reported move is part of a broader trend of strong investor interest in AI technology, particularly in France.
Both Sifre and Tuyls have given notice to leave DeepMind, with the new venture, tentatively named Holistic, potentially focused on developing a new AI model. The sizable financing round underscores significant investor interest in AI technology, particularly in France, where funds have been poured into startups emerging from Parisian universities and AI hubs of Silicon Valley firms. Mistral AI, an OpenAI rival, and Kyutai, a nonprofit AI research lab, are examples of recent AI startups in France that have attracted substantial funding.
Note: EUR 200 million is approximately Rs. 1,800 crore.
Key Points:
- Scientists from Google DeepMind are reportedly discussing the formation of an AI startup in Paris.
- Laurent Sifre and Karl Tuyls, both DeepMind scientists, are in talks with potential investors for a financing round exceeding EUR 200 million.
- The venture, tentatively named Holistic, may focus on building a new AI model.
- Both scientists have given notice to leave DeepMind.
- The reported move reflects strong investor interest in AI technology, particularly in France, where significant funds have been invested in emerging startups.