Amar Subramanya, an Indian-origin AI research scientist and former Head of Engineering for Google's Gemini chatbot, has recently transitioned to Microsoft as Corporate Vice President of AI. This move follows a 16-year tenure at Google and is perceived as a significant gain for Microsoft in its ongoing efforts to bolster its AI capabilities.
In a LinkedIn post announcing his new role, Subramanya expressed his enthusiasm:
His remark about Microsoft's "refreshingly low ego" culture sparked discussions online, with some interpreting it as a subtle critique of his previous employer, Google. One user on X (formerly Twitter) questioned whether the comment was "throwing shade at Google where he was just one week ago, for 16 years?""Super excited to share that I’ve started a new position as Corporate VP, AI at Microsoft AI. Just one week into my new role, I’m already feeling deeply energized. The culture here is refreshingly low ego yet bursting with ambition."
Subramanya further praised Microsoft's dynamic environment, likening it to the best aspects of a startup:
His decision to join Microsoft was influenced by inspiring conversations with CEO Satya Nadella and Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman. Suleyman, a co-founder of DeepMind, joined Microsoft in 2024 after the company acquired his startup, Inflection, in a $650 million "acqui-hire" deal."It reminds me of the best parts of a startup: fast-moving, collaborative, and deeply focused on building truly innovative, state-of-the-art foundation models to drive delightful AI-powered products such as Microsoft Copilot."
Subramanya's hiring is part of a broader trend, with Microsoft recruiting over 20 AI professionals from Google's DeepMind in recent months. Notable hires include engineering lead Sonal Gupta, software engineer Adam Sadovsky, and product manager Tim Frank. This aggressive talent acquisition strategy underscores the intensifying competition among tech giants to secure top AI talent.
The AI talent war has led to escalating compensation packages, with reports of sign-on bonuses reaching up to $100 million. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman criticized such practices, referring to them as promoting "mercenary" behavior.
Despite these departures, Google maintains that its attrition rates remain below the industry average and asserts that it continues to attract talent from rival companies.
Subramanya's move to Microsoft highlights the dynamic nature of the AI industry, where top talent is highly sought after, and corporate cultures play a pivotal role in attracting and retaining experts.
Source: Storyboard18 Indian-origin Amar Subramanya leaves Google after 16 years, finds Microsoft culture 'refreshingly low ego'