Sources: Demis Hassabis pursued a Nobel as a DeepMind goal and favored high-minded work over short-term revenue or a stronger AI race position for Alphabet
Demis Hassabis has spent much of the past decade trying to unlock the secrets of the universe through artificial intelligence. X: @jldastin , @jldastin , @reuters , @ceo_aisoma , @jldastin , and @jldastin . Bluesky: @petertl X: Jeffrey Dastin / @jldastin : Demis Hassabis has spent much of the past decade trying to unlock the universe's secrets through AI. @Reuters explored how the Google executive favored high-minded concepts over short-term business opportunities and, at times, the company's bottom line. https://www.reuters.com/... Jeffrey Dastin / @jldastin : For instance, DeepMind had an effort to apply AI to financial trading. BlackRock and DeepMind envisioned a project called “DeepTick.” Over years, 20+ DeepMinders developed AI that at times beat the market. But Hassabis did not prioritize the work, sources said. “It fizzled out.” @reuters : Staffers at Alphabet's DeepMind were surprised when its secretive project to apply AI to financial trading disbanded after years of work. Reuters explores why, and other moves by its top executive Demis Hassabis https://www.reuters.com/... [image] Murat Durmus / @ceo_aisoma : Demis Hassabis is betting that AI should serve meaning, not markets. While others race to monetize, he's solving proteins, not pushing products. Google's AI boss may be the last idealist AI Leader. https://www.reuters.com/... Jeffrey Dastin / @jldastin : Years before ChatGPT, Hassabis also declined OpenAI's offer for a joint venture, sources said. Over dinner, an OpenAI executive proposed the labs collaborate to bring about AGI safely. Though Hassabis shared the safety concerns, he preferred for DeepMind to forge ahead on its own Jeffrey Dastin / @jldastin : Another focus has been Hassabis' vision for AlphaAssist, a universal assistant, sources said. While current digital aides answer queries with limited ability to act, DeepMind has targeted a more sophisticated assistant Hassabis has compared to SciFi characters, like J.A.R.V.I.S. Bluesky: Peter Thal Larsen / @petertl : Fascinating read on DeepMind's Demis Hassibis by @jldastin.bsky.social. I suspect history will be less harsh on him than the stock promoters and con men currently getting all the AI attention. — www.reuters.com/investigatio... [image]