I’ve begun to get asked by various people about Kai-Fu Lee, who was recently hired by Google away from Microsoft to build Google’s Chinese research lab. Kai-Fu Lee built Microsoft’s Beijing lab, Microsoft Research - Asia (MSRA), which I can say from personal visits is staffed with some amazing people. However, it’s been under the strong leadership of Harry Shum (another fine CMU alumn) while I’ve been interacting with them.
So what about Kai-Fu? Is this a huge loss for Microsoft and a great coup for Google? Will Microsoft win in its suit to enforce the non-compete Kai-Fu signed? Will Google’s counter-suit win out? And how will Batman and Robin escape from the vile clutches of the Joker this time around?
I have no frickin’ clue. I’ve never met the man, and I’m not privvy to whatever it is he signed. I don’t even know if the juridiction is in Washington State (although I’d assume it is), and I have no idea how non-competes work when a California company (with an office in Washington State) hires someone away to relocate to China. My wife doesn’t even quite know, and she is a lawyer.
So please, ask me something that I might know something about. Like unlocking an AudioVox 5600… 