After listening to the Acquired podcast episode on Google AI, I wanted to map how many of today’s major AI players have their roots in Google. I built a network-style flowchart that visualizes this “AI Mafia”.

The goal was to map how deeply Google’s early AI efforts radiated towards current companies, viz, OpenAI, DeepMind, Cohere, etc. Each node links people and organizations mentioned in the episode, with logos for clarity.

There is still some UX work that can be done. Do explore the graph and I am sure you would also be interested in seeing the PayPal Mafia playing an important role, and how so many logos link back to Google (Brain).

Edit: Podcast link: https://www.acquired.fm/episodes/google-the-ai-company

The PayPal “mafia” is cringey enough already, please enough of this word to describe a cabal.

You’re also missing women in this graph, there are women.

What’s the underling framework/website used to make the mind map?

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