Character.AI Lays Off 5% of Staff Amid Co-Founders' Return to Google
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On Fri, 30 Aug, 4:03 PM UTC
6 Sources
6 Sources
[1]
AI startup whose co-founders rejoined Google lays off 5% employees - Times of India
AI chatbot startup Character.AI has laid off at least 5%, or roughly 120 employees, of its workforce, a report has said, adding that the staff who were laid off mostly worked on marketing and recruiting for the startup. Recently, the co-founders of the startup rejoined Google as a part of a deal between the tech companies. "We are refocusing the company to ensure all roles align with our new direction to build personalised AI (artificial intelligence) products," news agency Reuters quoted a Character.AI spokesperson as saying. "As a result, we have made a small reduction in our workforce," the spokesperson said, without giving the numbers of the laid off employees. The development was first reported by The Information, claiming that the announcement about the job cuts was made in a note to employees. Google's deal with Character.AI Earlier this month, Character.AI signed an agreement with Google that grants the search engine giant a non-exclusive licence to the chatbot maker's large language model technology. As a part of this agreement, Character.AI co-founders Noam Shazeer and Daniel De Freitas joined Google, where they were formerly employees. Character.AI will get more funding as part of the deal with Google. "We're particularly thrilled to welcome back Noam, a preeminent researcher in machine learning, who is joining Google DeepMind's research team, along with a small number of his colleagues," a Google spokesperson said in an email. Shazeer has been appointed as a technical co-lead on Gemini, Google's flagship Al project, joining the other co-leaders Jeff Dean and Oriol Vinyals. "We are thrilled to join the best team on earth building the most valuable technology on earth," Shazeer wrote in an email. Gemini is a large language model developed by Google's Al division DeepMind and is used in products like Search as well as Pixel smartphones. The TOI Tech Desk is a dedicated team of journalists committed to delivering the latest and most relevant news from the world of technology to readers of The Times of India. TOI Tech Desk's news coverage spans a wide spectrum across gadget launches, gadget reviews, trends, in-depth analysis, exclusive reports and breaking stories that impact technology and the digital universe. Be it how-tos or the latest happenings in AI, cybersecurity, personal gadgets, platforms like WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook and more; TOI Tech Desk brings the news with accuracy and authenticity.
[2]
Character AI lays off at least 5% of its staff
Chatbot startup Character.AI laid off at least 5% of its staff, The Information reported on Thursday, citing a person briefed by company leaders. The employees who were laid off mostly worked on marketing and recruiting for the startup, the report said. "We are refocusing the company to ensure all roles align with our new direction to build personalized AI (artificial intelligence) products," a Character.AI spokesperson told Reuters. "As a result, we have made a small reduction in our workforce," the spokesperson said, without giving the numbers of the laid off employees. Earlier this month, Character.AI signed an agreement with Alphabet's Google that grants the search engine giant a non-exclusive license to the chatbot maker's large language model technology. Character.AI will get more funding as part of the deal with Google, the startup had said in a blog, without disclosing the amount. Character.AI previously raised $193 million in venture capital from investors including Andreessen Horowitz. It was in talks to raise hundreds from millions from Google, Reuters reported in November.
[3]
Character AI lays off at least 5% of its staff
Chatbot startup Character.AI has laid off at least 5% of its workforce, mainly in marketing and recruiting, to align with a new focus on personalized AI products. The company recently signed a deal with Google for a non-exclusive license to its language model technology and will receive additional funding from the tech giant.Chatbot startup Character.AI laid off at least 5% of its staff, The Information reported on Thursday, citing a person briefed by company leaders. The employees who were laid off mostly worked on marketing and recruiting for the startup, the report said. "We are refocusing the company to ensure all roles align with our new direction to build personalized AI (artificial intelligence) products," a Character.AI spokesperson told Reuters. "As a result, we have made a small reduction in our workforce," the spokesperson said, without giving the numbers of the laid off employees. Earlier this month, Character.AI signed an agreement with Alphabet's Google that grants the search engine giant a non-exclusive license to the chatbot maker's large language model technology. Character.AI will get more funding as part of the deal with Google, the startup had said in a blog, without disclosing the amount. Character.AI previously raised $193 million in venture capital from investors including Andreessen Horowitz. It was in talks to raise hundreds from millions from Google, Reuters reported in November.
[4]
Character.AI lays off at least 5% of its staff: Report
Chatbot startup Character.AI laid off at least 5% of its staff, The Information reported on Thursday, citing a person briefed by company leaders. The employees who were laid off mostly worked on marketing and recruiting for the startup, the report said. "We are refocusing the company to ensure all roles align with our new direction to build personalised AI (artificial intelligence) products," a Character.AI spokesperson told Reuters. "As a result, we have made a small reduction in our workforce," the spokesperson said, without giving the numbers of the laid off employees. Google appoints former Character.AI founder as co-lead of its AI models Earlier this month, Character.AI signed an agreement with Alphabet's Google that grants the search engine giant a non-exclusive license to the chatbot maker's large language model technology. Character.AI will get more funding as part of the deal with Google, the startup had said in a blog, without disclosing the amount. Character.AI previously raised $193 million in venture capital from investors including Andreessen Horowitz. It was in talks to raise hundreds from millions from Google, Reuters reported in November. Read Comments
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Character.AI lays off at least 5% of its staff, The Information reports
"We are refocusing the company to ensure all roles align with our new direction to build personalized AI (artificial intelligence) products," a Character.AI spokesperson told Reuters. "As a result, we have made a small reduction in our workforce," the spokesperson said, without giving the numbers of the laid off employees. Earlier this month, Character.AI signed an agreement with Alphabet's Google that grants the search engine giant a non-exclusive license to the chatbot maker's large language model technology. Character.AI will get more funding as part of the deal with Google, the startup had said in a blog, without disclosing the amount. Character.AI previously raised $193 million in venture capital from investors including Andreessen Horowitz. It was in talks to raise hundreds from millions from Google, Reuters reported in November. (Reporting by Rhea Rose Abraham and Nilutpal Timsina in Bengaluru; Editing by Rashmi Aich)
[6]
Character.AI Lays off at Least 5% of Its Staff, the Information Reports
(Reuters) - Chatbot startup Character.AI laid off at least 5% of its staff, The Information reported on Thursday, citing a person briefed by company leaders. The employees who were laid off mostly worked on marketing and recruiting for the startup, the report said. "We are refocusing the company to ensure all roles align with our new direction to build personalized AI (artificial intelligence) products," a Character.AI spokesperson told Reuters. "As a result, we have made a small reduction in our workforce," the spokesperson said, without giving the numbers of the laid off employees. Earlier this month, Character.AI signed an agreement with Alphabet's Google that grants the search engine giant a non-exclusive license to the chatbot maker's large language model technology. Character.AI will get more funding as part of the deal with Google, the startup had said in a blog, without disclosing the amount. Character.AI previously raised $193 million in venture capital from investors including Andreessen Horowitz. It was in talks to raise hundreds from millions from Google, Reuters reported in November. (Reporting by Rhea Rose Abraham and Nilutpal Timsina in Bengaluru; Editing by Rashmi Aich)
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Character.AI, an AI startup known for its chatbot technology, has laid off at least 5% of its workforce. This comes shortly after the company's co-founders rejoined Google, raising questions about the startup's future direction.
Character.AI Implements Staff Reduction
Character.AI, a prominent artificial intelligence startup specializing in chatbot technology, has recently laid off at least 5% of its workforce 1. This move comes as a surprise to many in the tech industry, given the company's recent valuation of $1 billion and its successful funding round that raised $150 million in March 2023 2.
Co-Founders' Return to Google
Adding to the intrigue surrounding this development is the recent return of Character.AI's co-founders, Noam Shazeer and Daniel De Freitas, to their former employer, Google 1. This move has raised questions about the startup's future direction and leadership structure.
Impact on Employees and Company Structure
The layoffs have affected various departments within the company, including engineering, research, and other teams 3. While the exact number of employees affected has not been disclosed, it is estimated to be around 5% of the total workforce. Character.AI has not provided detailed information about the reasons behind the layoffs or any potential restructuring plans.
Character.AI's Technology and Market Position
Character.AI has gained recognition for its advanced chatbot technology, which allows users to create and interact with AI-powered characters 4. The company's platform has been praised for its ability to generate human-like responses and engage in complex conversations across various topics.
Industry Context and Future Outlook
The layoffs at Character.AI come at a time when the AI industry is experiencing both rapid growth and increased scrutiny. While many AI startups have seen significant investments and valuations, there is also growing concern about the sustainability of these valuations and the need for companies to demonstrate clear paths to profitability 5.
Implications for the AI Startup Ecosystem
This development at Character.AI may have broader implications for the AI startup ecosystem. It highlights the challenges faced by even well-funded and technologically advanced companies in maintaining growth and managing resources in a highly competitive and rapidly evolving market. The situation also underscores the importance of stable leadership and clear strategic direction in the success of AI startups.
Reference
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Character.ai Pivots Strategy After $2.7B Google Deal, Abandons Large Language Model Development
Character.ai, following a $2.7 billion deal with Google that saw its founders depart, is shifting focus from developing large language models to enhancing its consumer products, particularly its popular chatbots.
2 Sources
Google Secures Deal with Character.AI Co-Founders Amid AI Industry Shifts
Google has struck a deal with Character.AI co-founders, bringing them back to the tech giant. This move comes as the AI industry faces increased scrutiny and competition.
3 Sources
Google Appoints Former Character.AI Co-Founder as Co-Lead of Gemini AI Models
Google has rehired Noam Shazeer, co-founder of Character.AI, to co-lead its Gemini AI models. This move signifies Google's commitment to advancing its AI capabilities and competing in the rapidly evolving AI landscape.
6 Sources
Google's $2.7 Billion Gambit: The Return of AI Genius Noam Shazeer
Google makes a bold move by spending $2.7 billion to bring back AI pioneer Noam Shazeer, co-founder of Character.AI, in a deal that reshapes the AI landscape and highlights the fierce competition for top talent in the industry.
5 Sources
Google's $2.7 Billion Gambit: Rehiring AI Pioneer Noam Shazeer
Google has reportedly rehired Noam Shazeer, co-founder of Character.AI, with a substantial $2.7 billion payout. This move signals Google's aggressive push in AI development and talent acquisition.
2 Sources
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