The Williams Formula 1 Team has signed AI guru James Smith as it looks to steal a march on its rivals in an emerging field in motorsport.
As the race to master off-track performance enters a new phase thanks to the emergence of AI, Williams has attempted a proactive strike.
Smith’s experience in computer science is vast, having spent ten years at DeepMind and Google, building Android’s data platform,
He is now set to bring his expertise to Williams, signing on as its new Chief Information Officer.
In a statement released by Williams, Smith said “I am excited to be joining Atlassian Williams F1 Team at a moment when data and AI are becoming increasingly important to performance both on and off the track.
“Williams has an exceptional history, but what appeals to me most is the ambition for the next phase: building the systems, products and culture needed to compete at the front of the grid.
“I hope to bring my experience from Google, DeepMind and from founding Human Native to help the team move quickly, use AI pragmatically, and turn complex ideas into practical advantage.”
James Vowles: AI ‘is the latest battleground in F1″
Williams Team Principal confirmed his excitement at Smith’s appointment, revealing technology now underpinned Williams’ efforts.
“Success in Formula 1 has always been about combining technological innovation with the best people to deliver on track.
“With the technology developing at breakneck pace, the latest battleground in F1 is the ability to harness data and AI across all parts of the team.
“James has spent his career at that frontier – at Google, DeepMind and building his own company from the ground up – and I am delighted to welcome him to Atlassian Williams F1 Team as we continue to put technology at the heart of our ambitions to compete at the very front.”
The appointment of Smith is a snapshot of Vowles’ transformation of Williams – it now seems the infamous days of assembling a car through a spreadsheet are now thankfully long gone.
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