Microsoft's AI Pioneer Jumps Ship to OpenAI in Pursuit of AGI Dreams

Microsoft announced on October 14th that Sébastien Bubeck, the Vice President of Generative AI Research, will be leaving the company to join OpenAI, the creators of ChatGPT. This move highlights the fluid nature of talent between leading tech firms in the artificial intelligence sector.

A Microsoft spokesperson expressed that Bubeck has decided to leave to further his work in developing artificial general intelligence (AGI). The spokesperson noted the continuing collaborative relationship between Microsoft and OpenAI, emphasizing the potential benefits from Bubeck’s new role.

Bubeck has been an instrumental figure in Microsoft's AI initiatives for over a decade. During his tenure, he contributed significantly to the research on Phi LLMs, models designed to be more efficient than traditional large language models. Despite his departure, his co-authors remain committed to advancing these models within Microsoft.

With a rich academic background, including a three-year position as an assistant professor at Princeton University, Bubeck has focused on understanding the emergence of intelligence in large language models as a step toward AGI. His transition to OpenAI suggests a strategic alignment with this ambition to elevate AI’s capabilities.