Microsoft has announced plans to establish a new London office focusing on artificial intelligence (AI) research and development.
Mustafa Suleyman, who leads AI initiatives at Microsoft, mentioned that the company will soon begin the process of seeking out “exceptional individuals” to fill various roles in the upcoming weeks and months, though the exact number of positions to be offered remains unspecified.
As a significant backer of OpenAI, the creators of ChatGPT, which also inaugurated its own London office in 2023, Microsoft’s investment in AI expertise continues to expand.
“There is an enormous pool of AI talent and expertise in the UK,” Mr. Suleyman highlighted in a blog post, expressing Microsoft AI’s commitment to a substantial, enduring investment in the area by recruiting top AI scientists and engineers for its new AI hub.
Mr. Suleyman, who previously co-founded DeepMind in the UK (acquired by Google in 2014) and later launched his AI startup, Inflection AI, in 2022 before his move to Microsoft in March, announced that AI engineer Jordan Hoffmann, a former colleague at DeepMind and Inflection, would oversee the operations at the new office.
Highlighting the mission of the new London base, Mr. Suleyman stated, “Microsoft AI London will drive pioneering work to advance state-of-the-art language models and their supporting infrastructure.” He also commended the UK’s cautious stance on AI development, particularly after UK technology secretary Michelle Donelan and the US agreed to cooperate on the evaluation of advanced AI models.
Furthermore, Mr. Suleyman mentioned that the London office would work in close partnership with OpenAI, reflecting on Microsoft’s ongoing and substantial investments in the organization.
This includes bolstering its initial $1bn investment in OpenAI at the beginning of 2023 with a comprehensive, multi-year funding agreement.
Microsoft’s support for OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman, notably during his tumultuous dismissal and subsequent reinstatement in November, underscores the strong relationship between the two entities. Following these developments, Microsoft has ascended to become the world’s most valuable listed company, boasting a market value surpassing $3tn.
