Google hired a lawyer to probe bullying claims about DeepMind cofounder Mustafa Suleyman and shifted his role

<p><img src="https://static1.businessinsider.com/image/60112f096dfbe10018e002c2-1138/mustafa suleyman 1831_preview (1).jpeg" alt="Mustafa Suleyman 1831_preview (1)" data-mce-source="DeepMind" border="0"></p><p></p><bi-shortcode id="summary-shortcode" data-type="summary-shortcode" class="mceNonEditable" contenteditable="false">Summary List Placement</bi-shortcode><p>Google hired a lawyer to probe bullying concerns about a cofounder of its British AI portfolio firm DeepMind, the company confirmed to Insider.</p><p>The firm moved Mustafa Suleyman from DeepMind in late 2019 to another role inside Google, and reduced his managerial responsibilities after the probe.</p><p>In a joint statement, Google and DeepMind told Insider: "With the assistance of an external lawyer we looked into concerns that were raised about Mustafa's management style. As a result he undertook professional development training to address areas of concern, which continues, and is not managing large teams."</p><p>The firms added: "Following this, Mustafa moved to take on an individual contributor role at Google, where he makes valued contributions on AI policy and regulation."</p><p>The probe was first reported by <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/artificial-intelligence-will-define-googles-future-for-now-its-a-management-challenge-11611676945'mod=djemalertNEWS">the Wall Street Journal</a> on Tuesday, which reported that Suleyman faced complaints that he bullied staff.</p><p>In a separate statement, Suleyman told the Journal he "accepted feedback that, as a co-founder at DeepMind, I drove people too hard and at times my management style was not constructive."</p><p>He added: "I apologize unequivocally to those who were affected."</p><p><em>Are you a current or former Googler or DeepMinder with more to share' You can contact this reporter securely using the encrypted messaging app Signal (+447801985586) or email (mcoulter@businessinsider.com). Reach out using a non-work device.</em></p><p>The revelation sheds light on the mystery of Suleyman's change in role from London-based DeepMind to a different role inside Google.</p><p>In August 2019, Bloomberg broke the news and DeepMind confirmed that <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/deepmind-cofounder-mustafa-suleyman-taking-leave-2019-8">Mustafa Suleyman was on leave</a> from DeepMind, for reasons that weren't clear at the time. Suleyman had been leading DeepMind's "applied" division, which focused on the practical application of its research. At the time, there was speculation he might quit the company and Google altogether.</p><p>A few months later, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/deepmind-cofounder-mustafa-suleyman-leaves-for-google-2019-12">Google said</a> it had shuffled Suleyman to its own in-house AI team in the US.</p><p>DeepMind's other cofounders, Demis Hassabis and Shane Legg, remain at DeepMind.</p><p>Google bought the little-known DeepMind <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/googles-400-million-acquisition-of-deepmind-is-looking-good-2016-7">for some $500 million in 2014</a>, which has since achieved fame for its strides in AI, including <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-deepmind-alphago-beat-go-world-champion-lee-sedol-2016-3" data-analytics-module="body_link" data-analytics-post-depth="60" data-uri="9f37ea59fc83a47f68f1f781f7e26508">machines capable of defeating human board game champions</a>. It has also <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/deepmind-google-protein-folding-ai-alphafold-technology-2020-12" data-analytics-module="body_link" data-analytics-post-depth="60" data-uri="faea4f5fda24b6ab14b2d8d9ec9ee3b2">made groundbreaking progress in structural biology</a>.</p><p>DeepMind is internally considered a kind of in-house university, and remains loss-making.&nbsp; Financial filings from 2019 indicate Google <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-deepmind-ai-startup-technology-2020-12">wrote off more than $1 billion in debt</a> for its portfolio company. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Senior figures at both companies have previously remained quiet when pressed on the details of Suleyman's departure from DeepMind. In a <a href="https://deepmind.com/blog/announcements/entering-our-tenth-year-at-deepmind" data-analytics-module="body_link" data-analytics-post-depth="80" data-uri="89f1778d1da277f7a51213b01fe9c4a1">blog post</a>&nbsp;written at the time, DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis praised his cofounder's work at the company.&nbsp;</p><p>"Mustafa played a key role over the past decade helping to get DeepMind off the ground, and launched a series of innovative collaborations with Google to reduce energy consumption in data centres, improve Android battery performance, optimize Google Play, and find ways to improve the lives of patients, nurses and doctors alike," he wrote.&nbsp;</p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-deepmind-mustafa-suleyman-bullying-ai-2021-1#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-symphony-seas-worlds-largest-cruise-ship-deals-with-waste-2020-3">How waste is dealt with on the world's largest cruise ship</a></p>
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