Star Google Researcher Joins OpenAI in Coup for ChatGPT Creator

One of Google’s most prominent researchers is leaving for rival OpenAI, dealing a setback to Alphabet Inc. in a multibillion-dollar race to build the world’s most powerful artificial intelligence models.

Noam Shazeer, who co-authored a seminal paper that helped catalyze the AI boom, announced his departure in an X post. His move marks a big win for OpenAI, which is vying with Anthropic PBC to develop ever-more sophisticated models ahead of an initial public offering.

Noam Shazeer

Photographer: Winni Wintermeyer/The Washington Post/Getty Images

OpenAI Chief Research Officer Mark Chen said Shazeer would be the company’s lead for AI architecture research — essentially, studying how ...