Microsoft plans to open a new artificial intelligence center in London, led by AI scientist and engineer Jordan Hoffman, to drive advancements in the company's consumer AI products and research. The announcement was made by Mustafa Suleiman, former CEO of Inflection and co-founder of DeepMind, who recently joined Microsoft and is responsible for leading its new consumer AI division. Hoffman, a Ph.D. candidate in applied mathematics at Harvard University, joined DeepMind as a research scientist in 2020 and moved to Inflection AI in 2022. He will now be in charge of the new London division and plans to recruit fresh AI talent in the coming weeks and months. The London center will focus on developing state-of-the-art language models and their supporting infrastructure, as well as creating top-notch tools for world-class foundational models. Microsoft plans to collaborate closely with its AI team and partners, including OpenAI, to push the boundaries of AI and bring its benefits to various parts of the UK. The establishment of the London center positions Microsoft favorably in the highly competitive AI talent market. As tech giants compete for a limited number of top researchers and engineers, the competition for AI talent has intensified. This competition has led to strategic recruitment efforts, including poaching experts from rival companies. Microsoft's new center enables the company to tap into the thriving AI ecosystem in the UK, which includes startups, established tech companies, and academic institutions. By investing in this region, Microsoft gains a diverse talent pool and attracts individuals with innovative and collaborative spirits. This development aligns with Microsoft's recent commitment to invest £2.5 billion in the UK over the next three years, including expanding its data center footprint and enhancing workforce capabilities for the AI era. With Google's DeepMind also located in London, this move paves the way for talent competition between the two tech giants. Suleiman's recent move to Microsoft has sparked criticism as he took dozens of employees from Inflection AI. This allows Microsoft to avoid the regulatory scrutiny typically associated with traditional acquisitions. Suleiman will report directly to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and emphasizes the "vast talent pool and expertise" in the UK, stating that the company plans to make "significant, long-term investments" in the region.