Microsoft is set to unveil a new London-based office focusing on artificial intelligence (AI) research and development. The company’s AI chief, Mustafa Suleyman, announced plans to recruit “exceptional individuals” for this initiative, though the exact number of job openings remains unspecified.
This move comes as Microsoft, a key backer of ChatGPT’s creator OpenAI, continues to invest in AI innovation. OpenAI itself established a presence in London in 2023, highlighting the UK’s rich AI talent pool. Suleyman’s blog post emphasized Microsoft AI’s commitment to a significant, ongoing investment in the UK, aiming to attract top AI scientists and engineers to their new AI hub.
Before joining Microsoft in March, Suleyman co-founded DeepMind in the UK, later acquired by Google, and then launched Inflection AI in 2022. He revealed that AI engineer Jordan Hoffmann, a former DeepMind and Inflection collaborator, would helm the new London office’s efforts to push forward in language model technology and infrastructure.
Suleyman lauded the UK’s cautious AI regulation approach, aligning with the recent UK-US agreement on AI model testing. The establishment of Microsoft’s AI hub in London is seen as a strong endorsement of the UK’s AI leadership, with Viscount Camrose highlighting the UK AI sector’s substantial contribution to the economy and job creation.
The collaboration between Microsoft’s new UK office and OpenAI will deepen, following Microsoft’s ongoing multi-billion-dollar support for OpenAI, reaffirmed even amidst Sam Altman’s tumultuous tenure as CEO.
With Microsoft’s valuation soaring past $3 trillion, the London AI hub signifies the city’s growing tech influence, according to Tech London Advocates’ Russ Shaw. This initiative is expected to bolster the UK’s position at the forefront of AI research and innovation, underscoring the transformative impact of AI on work efficiency and creativity.
