Since the sale of LinkedIn, Reid Hoffman has established a new company.

• In Silicon Valley, Inflection aims to create AI software that simplifies human-computer communication.
• Since selling LinkedIn to Microsoft for $26.2 billion in 2016, it is the first time Hoffman has co-founded a company.
• Mustafa Suleyman and Karén Simonyan, both former researchers at DeepMind, are collaborating with him to establish the business.

Mustafa Suleyman and Karén Simonyan, both former DeepMind researchers, have joined forces with LinkedIn billionaire Reid Hoffman to co-found a new artificial intelligence start-up called Inflection AI.

Since selling LinkedIn for $26.2 billion in 2016, it is the first time Reid Hoffman has co-founded a company. Similarly, since selling DeepMind for around $600 million in 2014, it is the first company Demis Hassabis has co-founded.

Suleyman will assume the role of CEO.

Inflection is being built by Karen and Mustafa, who have been at the forefront of some of the most exciting advances in artificial intelligence. AI is one of the most transformative technologies of our time, as stated by Hoffman in a shared statement with CNBC.

Suleyman, who has known Hoffman for almost 10 years, has announced his departure from Google to work alongside the venture capitalist at Greylock Partners, the firm that invested in Facebook and other successful startups.

In 2010, Suleyman co-founded DeepMind in London with childhood friend Demis Hassabis and New Zealander Shane Legg, before later joining Google.

Suleyman played a key role in securing millions of dollars in funding from billionaires such as Elon Musk and Peter Thiel for DeepMind prior to its acquisition by Google. Additionally, he led the company's applied AI efforts both before and after the acquisition.

What is Inflection?

In Silicon Valley, Inflection aims to create AI software that simplifies human-computer communication.

Suleyman stated on a CNBC call Monday that the history of computing has involved an ongoing effort to simplify concepts in order to convey them to machines.

When we write search queries, we simplify, reduce or use shorthand to make it easier for search engines to understand our intentions.

Suleyman stated that humans simplify their ideas and reduce their complexity and uniqueness in order to control a computer using a programming language or a mouse.

The entrepreneur stated that Inflection plans to develop a suite of technologies that will allow people to communicate with computers using plain language.

The sale of Inflection's products is uncertain, including the target market, pricing, and timeline.

Talking to machines

Over the past ten years, human-machine interaction has progressed significantly, with many individuals now communicating with AI-powered virtual assistants such as Siri and Alexa on a regular basis.

As machines improve their language generation abilities, it is predicted that conversations will become more fluid, although they are currently far from seamless.

Suleyman stated that they are close to generating language at a human-like level of performance, and he believes it will be achievable within five years. This breakthrough will enable a range of new possibilities in the product realm.

GPT-3 from OpenAI is one of the most notable language-generating AI models, but tech giants such as Meta and Microsoft are also developing their own systems.

Suleyman stated that a small group of skilled individuals can have a significant impact in competing with the large armies of researchers and engineers at these companies.

In larger tech companies, there are only a few individuals responsible for creating AI models. However, start-ups have the advantage of being able to move quickly and adapt more easily.

He stated that after building numerous teams over the past 15 years, he has discovered a "golden moment" when the team is tightly knit and focused. He aims to maintain this state for as long as possible.

Inflection's chief scientist, Simonyan, previously sold his first start-up to DeepMind and was involved in some of the lab's biggest breakthroughs, including AlphaZero and AlphaFold. He recently left DeepMind to join Inflection.

Greylock backing

Greylock has invested in Inflection, but the amount of the investment was not disclosed.

The venture firm intends to "incubate" the company by offering it marketing, introductions to technology leaders, and hiring support, as it has done for companies such as and .

Hoffman will maintain his full-time role at Greylock.

In December 2019, Suleyman left DeepMind to join Google as VP of AI product management and AI policy, after announcing on Twitter in August 2019 that he needed a break to recharge.

In January 2021, DeepMind hired a law firm to investigate Suleyman's management style after a number of his colleagues accused him of harassment and bullying.

In 2017-2018, a few colleagues filed a complaint about my management style, according to Suleyman, who shared his thoughts on the matter in a January podcast interview with Hoffman. He admitted that he was too demanding and relentless, which may have created an unreasonable work environment with unrealistic expectations.

One VC questioned how long Suleyman would remain a VC, stating that they believed it was temporary while he searched for a new company to start or join as a founder. They believed he had more potential left in him.

Suleyman stated that although Inflection will consume most of his time, he intends to continue investing with Greylock.