Demis Hassabis

But if you, this is certainly true in 2010, if you were coming, say you had a PhD in physics out of Cambridge and you didn't want to work in finance at a hedge fund in the city, but you wanted to stay in the UK and be intellectually challenged, there were not that many options for you, right? There were not that many deep tech startups. So we were the first, really, to prove that could be done.

But if you, this is certainly true in 2010, if you were coming, say you had a PhD in physics out of Cambridge and you didn't want to work in finance at a hedge fund in the city, but you wanted to stay in the UK and be intellectually challenged, there were not that many options for you, right? There were not that many deep tech startups. So we were the first, really, to prove that could be done.

And actually, we were a big draw for the whole of Europe. So we got the best people from the technical universities in Munich and in Switzerland and so on. And for a long while, that was a huge competitive advantage. And also, salaries were cheaper here than in the West Coast. And you weren't competing against the big incumbents, right? And also, it was conducive.

And actually, we were a big draw for the whole of Europe. So we got the best people from the technical universities in Munich and in Switzerland and so on. And for a long while, that was a huge competitive advantage. And also, salaries were cheaper here than in the West Coast. And you weren't competing against the big incumbents, right? And also, it was conducive.

And actually, we were a big draw for the whole of Europe. So we got the best people from the technical universities in Munich and in Switzerland and so on. And for a long while, that was a huge competitive advantage. And also, salaries were cheaper here than in the West Coast. And you weren't competing against the big incumbents, right? And also, it was conducive.

The other reason I chose to do that was... I knew that AGI, which was our plan from the beginning, you know, solve intelligence and then use it to solve everything else. That was where we articulated our mission statement. And I still like that framing of it. It was a 20-year mission.

The other reason I chose to do that was... I knew that AGI, which was our plan from the beginning, you know, solve intelligence and then use it to solve everything else. That was where we articulated our mission statement. And I still like that framing of it. It was a 20-year mission.

The other reason I chose to do that was... I knew that AGI, which was our plan from the beginning, you know, solve intelligence and then use it to solve everything else. That was where we articulated our mission statement. And I still like that framing of it. It was a 20-year mission.

And if you're on a 20-year mission, and we're now 15 years in, and I think we're sort of on track, unbelievably, right? Which is strange for any 20-year mission. But you don't want to be too distracted on the way in a deep technology, deep scientific mission.

And if you're on a 20-year mission, and we're now 15 years in, and I think we're sort of on track, unbelievably, right? Which is strange for any 20-year mission. But you don't want to be too distracted on the way in a deep technology, deep scientific mission.

And if you're on a 20-year mission, and we're now 15 years in, and I think we're sort of on track, unbelievably, right? Which is strange for any 20-year mission. But you don't want to be too distracted on the way in a deep technology, deep scientific mission.

So one of the issues I find with Silicon Valley is lots of benefits, obviously, contacts and support systems and funding and amazing things and the amount of talent there, the density of talent. But it is quite distracting, I feel. Like everyone and their dog is trying to do a startup that they think is going to change the world, but it's just a photo app or something.

So one of the issues I find with Silicon Valley is lots of benefits, obviously, contacts and support systems and funding and amazing things and the amount of talent there, the density of talent. But it is quite distracting, I feel. Like everyone and their dog is trying to do a startup that they think is going to change the world, but it's just a photo app or something.

So one of the issues I find with Silicon Valley is lots of benefits, obviously, contacts and support systems and funding and amazing things and the amount of talent there, the density of talent. But it is quite distracting, I feel. Like everyone and their dog is trying to do a startup that they think is going to change the world, but it's just a photo app or something.

And then the cafes are filled with this. Of course, it leads to some great things, but it's also a lot of noise if one actually wants to commit to a long-term mission that you think is the most important thing ever

And then the cafes are filled with this. Of course, it leads to some great things, but it's also a lot of noise if one actually wants to commit to a long-term mission that you think is the most important thing ever

And then the cafes are filled with this. Of course, it leads to some great things, but it's also a lot of noise if one actually wants to commit to a long-term mission that you think is the most important thing ever

and you don't want to be too, you know, you and your staff and want to be too distracted and like, oh, I could make a, maybe I could make a hundred million though if I jumped and did this, you know, quickly did this gaming app or something, right? And I think that's sort of the milieu that you're in, in the Valley, at least back then, maybe this is less true now.

and you don't want to be too, you know, you and your staff and want to be too distracted and like, oh, I could make a, maybe I could make a hundred million though if I jumped and did this, you know, quickly did this gaming app or something, right? And I think that's sort of the milieu that you're in, in the Valley, at least back then, maybe this is less true now.

and you don't want to be too, you know, you and your staff and want to be too distracted and like, oh, I could make a, maybe I could make a hundred million though if I jumped and did this, you know, quickly did this gaming app or something, right? And I think that's sort of the milieu that you're in, in the Valley, at least back then, maybe this is less true now.