This morning, the CEO of Google, Sundar Pichai, officially opened a new artificial intelligence hub in Paris. Situated in a recently refurbished building near Google’s primary office in the city, this hub is set to accommodate approximately 300 researchers and engineers.
Despite the apparent novelty of this announcement, a keen observer of Google’s Parisian presence might recall the establishment of an AI research center by the tech giant back in 2018. Interestingly, Google clarified that there are no plans to assemble a new AI team specifically for this hub. While there is additional office space, the 300-strong team of researchers and engineers slated to operate from this hub were already part of Google Research, DeepMind, YouTube, and Chrome.
Noteworthy attendees at the event included prominent government figures such as Bruno Le Maire, the Minister of the Economy, and Valérie Pécresse, the President of the Ile-de-France region, who extended their congratulations to Sundar Pichai and Google on this development.
Image Credits: Google
This strategic move by Google, with the participation of its top leadership and government officials, underscores the company’s commitment to attracting top-tier AI talent. Rather than simply notifying employees about badge collection for the new office via email, Google seized this as a PR opportunity. By emphasizing its dedication to AI, Google aims to reinforce the significance of this field.
The choice of Paris as a hub for AI talent acquisition by Google is well-founded. In recent years, several tech behemoths have established AI research laboratories in the city. Apart from Google, Facebook (now Meta) established its Paris research lab in 2015, led by Yann LeCun under the banner of FAIR (Facebook Artificial Intelligence Research).
Subsequently, numerous researchers and engineers have departed from major tech corporations to launch their startups. Notably, Mistral AI stands out as a prime example, having secured substantial funding to pioneer new foundational models.
Paris boasts a thriving ecosystem of AI startups, including notable names like Nabla, Dust, Gladia, and Giskard. As these startups flourish, individuals working within them may eventually opt to transition to established players like Google for a change of pace.
The Era of AI Dominance
Furthermore, Google’s emphasis on AI underscores its deep-rooted interest in this domain. While the new hub will house teams dedicated to AI research as well as consumer products like YouTube and Chrome, Google deliberately branded it as an “AI hub.” This deliberate choice signifies Google’s assertion as a prominent AI-centric entity. Despite recently unveiling Gemini Ultra, its latest powerful large language model, Google is keen on reinforcing its AI image, especially with products like ChatGPT still resonating strongly with the public.
A year ago, Google introduced Bard, its AI chatbot assistant, now known as Gemini, during a press event in Paris. This move was partly a response to catch up with ChatGPT. Beyond product launch considerations, it served as a strategic move to showcase Google’s capability in deploying an LLM-based chatbot and iterating on its offerings. The unveiling of the new AI hub today can be viewed as a continuation of Google’s strategy to make periodic AI-related announcements.
Image Credits: Eric Laignel / Studios Architecture for Google
It is worth noting that Google is not alone in its grand gestures regarding AI investments. Microsoft, for instance, recently disclosed a €3.2 billion ($3.4 billion) investment plan over the next two years in AI infrastructure in Germany, in addition to its financial commitment to OpenAI, the parent company of ChatGPT. Microsoft’s focus extends beyond AI to encompass the establishment of data centers in Germany for its Azure cloud platform, catering to a diverse client base beyond the realm of AI. This trend highlights a broader industry-wide interest in AI advancements beyond individual companies like Google.
