Ahmedabad, India: Once united in their fear of a cutthroat AI race, Demis Hassabis and Mustafa Suleyman now find themselves leading the charge for Google and Microsoft, respectively. 

 Hailing from contrasting backgrounds in London, Hassabis, a chess prodigy, and Suleyman, raised in subsidized housing, met as teenagers. Their shared fascination with AI led them to co-founded DeepMind in 2010, aiming to responsibly develop the technology. 

However, their paths diverged. Google acquired DeepMind in 2014, with Hassabis remaining at the helm. Suleyman, known for his ambitious drive, clashed with DeepMind’s management and left in 2019 after facing employee complaints about his leadership style. 

The turning point came in 2022 with the emergence of ChatGPT, igniting the AI race. Google placed Hassabis in charge of their AI research, while Suleyman launched Inflection AI, an AI startup that struggled to gain a foothold. 

 Microsoft, recognizing Suleyman’s expertise, scooped him and his team in March 2024. Now, Hassabis and Suleyman find themselves on opposite sides of the AI battlefield. 

 Suleyman portrays their dynamic as a “friendly rivalry,” acknowledging their shared vision for AI’s potential. Hassabis, however, downplays the competition, suggesting Suleyman’s AI knowledge stems from their time together. 

 Their contrasting approaches paint a picture of the current AI landscape. Hassabis leads Google’s well-established research arm, while Suleyman spearheads Microsoft’s push for AI consumer products. 

  This rivalry between former friends highlights the intensifying competition in AI development. With each company vying for dominance, the question remains: will this race lead to groundbreaking advancements or unchecked technological advancement?