Character.AI Co-Founders Hired by Google in Licensing Deal (3)

Character.AI’s co-founders are joining Google in a larger deal that will allow the search giant to license the artificial intelligence startup’s technology.

Character.AI, a startup known for chatbots that can mimic anyone or anything, announced the news in a blog post on Friday. Founders Noam Shazeer and Daniel De Freitas, along with some members of its research team, will join Alphabet Inc.’s Google, the company said. The startup’s new interim chief executive officer will be Dominic Perella, who had been Character.AI’s general counsel.

Existing investors will see shares bought out at a price that would translate to a ...