India, Nov. 8 -- A former Google engineer has revealed why he walked away from a decade-long career at one of the world's biggest tech companies to start over in Japan. In an as-told-to essay published by Business Insider, Jad Tarifi, now founder and CEO of robotics-focused AI startup Integral AI, said he left Google to pursue a vision that no longer fit inside the company's advertising-driven priorities.

Tarifi joined Google in 2012 after completing a PhD in AI at the University of Florida. Over nearly ten years at the company, he witnessed major breakthroughs, including the rise of transformer models. He said Google shaped much of his leadership philosophy, particularly the importance of empowering engineers and building a culture wher...