DeepMind’s Demis Hassabis, a former chess master, managed to impress veteran Silicon Valley investor Peter Thiel with his unique knowledge of the game. This prompted Thiel to invest about $2.25 million in DeepMind, an AI company co-founded Hassabis in 2010.
Hassabis had been preparing for this meeting for a year, knowing that Thiel loved chess. His pitch was successful, and Thiel agreed to invest in the company. This marked DeepMind’s first significant investment and one of Thiel’s first investments outside the Silicon Valley orbit.
Eventually, DeepMind was acquired Google in 2014 for over $500 million. The company has achieved numerous breakthroughs, including creating an AI system that has advanced the hunt for new drugs and made new medical cures more possible. It is also on the cutting edge of developing AGI, a hypothetical form of AI that could perform any intellectual task a human can. Hassabis believes that an AI as intelligent as the human brain isn’t far off.
The acquisition of DeepMind Google has proven to be a lucrative investment, with the company making significant strides in the field of artificial intelligence. Despite these advancements, DeepMind did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider. For more information on this incredible journey, visit this insightful article Business Insider.