TechCheck+ Big Tech’s AI Talent Raid 8/30/24

TechCheck

CNBC

Disruptors, Investing, Faang, Technology, Business, Management, Cnbc, Tech

4.8 • 56 Ratings

🗓️ 30 August 2024

⏱️ 9 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Megacaps including Microsoft, Google and Amazon have been getting creative with how they’re poaching talent from top AI startups. Google with Character.ai, Microsoft with Inflection and Amazon’s faux-acquisition of Adept. They hire away prominent founders and talent and cut a deal to license technology… without actually buying the startups. It’s a playbook that skirts the regulatory crackdown on big tech dominance, provides an exit for AI startups struggling to make money and allows megacaps to pick up the expertise needed in the AI arms race. But while big tech might think they’re outsmarting antitrust enforcers, they could be playing with fire.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Startups are becoming pawns in the mega cap game of chess.
0:04.0	Microsoft absorbs inflection.
0:06.0	The big organizational change happening at Microsoft around AI.
0:10.0	Amazon consumes adept.
0:11.0	This startup is valued at more than a billion dollars.
0:14.0	Now most of the company is now going to Amazon.
0:17.0	Google and Character AI.
0:19.0	Three of the biggest tech companies swallowing three of the biggest startups in the AI world without actually
0:24.8	acquiring them.
0:26.0	The reality is everywhere you look we see rapid concentrations.
0:30.6	They're quelling competition, poaching top talent, and skirting scrutiny, while regulators are still playing
0:36.1	checkers. I'm dear D'Robosa and this week on Tech Check, the AI M&A fakeout. A. Fakeout.
0:55.0	Character AI was one of the most promising startups in the age of generative AI. Personalized AI.
0:57.0	How are thee?
0:59.0	Let's get to the bottom of this.
1:01.0	Highly engaging.
1:04.0	Loyal user base.
1:08.0	Somebody who sends one message today is active for on average two hours in that day.
1:14.6	150 million dollars in funding at a billion dollar valuation.
1:18.6	Character. AI launched its software last September and has had more than 173 million visits last month,
1:23.8	a 61% increase from March,
1:25.7	and a founder who pioneered generative AI.
	...

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