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Georges Harik

Georges Harik is a prominent figure in the tech industry with extensive experience in artificial intelligence, software engineering, and entrepreneurship. Here are some key details about Georges Harik:

Professional Background

Georges Harik is currently a cofounder at Hs Labs, an open source artificial intelligence research lab.12 He was also one of Google's first 10 employees, where he held significant roles:

  • Director of Googlettes (Google's internal startup incubator)
  • Distinguished Engineer
  • Product Management Director (2004-2005)1

At Google, Harik was responsible for product management and strategy for several major initiatives, including:

  • Gmail
  • Google Talk
  • Google Video
  • Picasa
  • Orkut
  • Google Groups
  • Google Mobile2

Technical Contributions

Harik's technical expertise is primarily in machine learning and artificial intelligence:

  • Co-developer of the targeting technology behind AdSense
  • First engineering manager of the Google Search Appliance
  • Co-author of the original product plan for AdWords Online
  • Contributed to numerous patents covering Google's search engine and advertising networks2

Education

  • Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
  • Focus on mathematical models of genetic algorithms3

Current Ventures

Besides his role at Hs Labs, Harik is also:

  • Founder of imo.im, a messaging app
  • Angel investor, typically investing up to $25,000 in early-stage companies2
  • Advisor to various startups in internet applications, machine learning, advertising technologies, and biotechnology3

Personal

Harik is based in the San Francisco Bay Area, specifically Palo Alto, California.45

Georges Harik's experience and expertise make him a respected figure in the tech industry, particularly in the fields of AI and machine learning.

Highlights

Jan 20 · twitter

Sometimes you feel compelled to do things. At the University of Michigan, I was drawn to artificial intelligence, what could be more appealing than studying what thinking was? and how could we make something that really thought? So I did my PhD in Computer Science focusing on AI, when everyone else told me the field was dead.

Soon after, I met the amazing people at Google who I immediately knew would be changing the world, and felt compelled to join them, making the world's information accessible to everyone.

When language models started talking, I felt compelled to figure out how they could think beforehand, and was drawn to work with Eric and Noah on Quiet Star.

Now, I have that familiar feeling again, of a calling, to work on a humanistic AI, one that understands and values people - alongside amazing friends @ericzelikman, @YuchenHe07, @noahdgoodman, @AndiPenguin and many other amazing humans! I'm excited to announce our company humans& that will work on this humanistic AI.

Why? Not because I miss the sleepless nights and pressure of a startup :) The world is changing, and rapidly, and this is a challenging time for people when really no one can predict where the future goes and almost everyone is somewhat anxious as a result. So I think it's worthwhile to think about why that is, and what might be done. I think training an AI to understand us, and value us is part of the answer.

I have finally found something more appealing than studying what thinking is - to make the thinking of AIs great for people. I hope you think this is a worthwhile mission, and I hope you will support us - because no one changes the world alone, and we'll need your help to do it.

Oct 25 · twitter

Congrats to Athelas Commure! Great progress in simplifying healthcare!

Feb 10 · businessinsider.nl
Here's where Google's first 21 employees are now - Business Insider
Feb 28 · giving.lau.edu.lb
Georges Harik - Giving to LAU

Related Questions

What are some of the key projects Georges Harik has worked on at Hs Labs?
How did Georges Harik's experience at Google influence his work at Hs Labs?
What are Georges Harik's main interests outside of his professional life?
How has Georges Harik's background in AI shaped his investments?
What are some notable startups that Georges Harik has invested in?
Georges Harik
Georges Harik, photo 1
Georges Harik, photo 2
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Location

San Francisco Bay Area