Hiring heavyweight AI talent away from tech: Anthem & Google

That’s one way companies are going about investing in AI: showing their seriousness, and try to get to results faster.

Case in point: last month, Healthcare provider Anthem hired Google’s search head, Israeli scientist Udi Manber, as head of artificial intelligence.

He is the first person with an AI role in the company and will build out a team. This is new.

Normally, like in the spring, we see AI leaders play musical chairs… like in the spring, when Apple hired John Giannandrea, Google’s chief of search and AI, to run Apple’s ML and AI strategy.

AI leaders are becoming more interested in other industries and their AI efforts, and non-tech industries are investing in getting top talent to help them get up to speed. You just have to know the right people…

(we just reported on real-estate startup Compass hiring Microsoft’s AI head as its new CTO, with backing from SoftBank and Qatar Investment Authority)