Microsoft’s New Venture into Superintelligence Research
Microsoft, one of the world’s leading tech companies, is making significant strides in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). Mustafa Suleyman, the head of the AI department at Microsoft, recently announced the formation of a new research team focused on superintelligence and advanced AI forms. The team, known as the MAI Superintelligence Team, is set to be a significant investment for the company in its quest to develop cutting-edge AI technology.
Suleyman, who also oversees Bing and Copilot, shared in a blog post that the initiative aims to solve practical problems in a controllable and informed manner. He emphasized that the intention isn’t to build an elusive superintelligence, but rather a practical technology designed primarily to serve humanity.
Fostering a Humanistic Approach to Superintelligence
The announcement comes at a time when major tech companies are fiercely competing to attract top AI researchers. Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has already established its Meta Superintelligence Labs and has reportedly spent billions on recruiting experts, with signing bonuses reaching up to $100 million.
While Suleyman did not elaborate on whether Microsoft plans to match such offers, he did reveal that the new team will comprise of both internal talent and new hires. Karen Simonyan, a highly respected figure in the AI field, has been named as the team’s chief scientist.
Prior to his role at Microsoft, Suleyman co-founded DeepMind, an AI company bought by Google in 2014. He also led the AI startup Inflection, which Microsoft acquired last year, bringing several of his team members on board.
Microsoft’s AI Relationships and Investments
Suleyman’s announcement reflects an overarching trend in the tech industry. Following OpenAI’s release of ChatGPT in 2022, companies have been eager to incorporate generative AI into their products. Microsoft uses OpenAI’s models in Bing and Copilot, and in return, OpenAI utilizes Microsoft’s Azure cloud to power its tools. Additionally, Microsoft’s stake in OpenAI is valued at $135 billion following a recent restructuring.
Yet, Microsoft is actively working to diversify its AI sources to lay a strong foundation for future superintelligence research. Post the acquisition of Inflection, the company has started experimenting with models from Google and Anthropic, another AI startup founded by former OpenAI executives.
A Unique Approach to Superintelligence
Unlike some competitors, Suleyman stated that Microsoft isn’t aiming to create an “infinitely powerful generalist” AI. Instead, the goal is to develop what he refers to as “humanistic superintelligence” – AI that meets human needs and delivers real-world benefits.
Suleyman believes in always asking the question: “Does this technology serve human interests?” This approach is particularly important considering the widely discussed risks associated with AI, ranging from bias to existential threats. The team aims to create specialized systems that achieve “superhuman performance” without introducing major risks.
Superintelligence in Healthcare
One field where Microsoft is particularly focused is healthcare. Suleyman predicts that AI capable of performing expert-level diagnostics could emerge in the next two or three years. He envisions technology that can solve complex medical problems and detect preventable diseases much earlier.
While the financial implications of such large-scale AI investments are a concern for investors, Suleyman reassures that Microsoft is setting clear boundaries and not building a superintelligence at any cost.
Image courtesy of Praswin Prakashan
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