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 where people can challenge ideas safely.
But one thing became increasingly clear: Google wasn’t the place to build the kind of robotics-driven personal AGI he envisioned. “If you want to do something different, like build a personal AGI, that might not fit with their advertising model,” he told Business Insider.
Why he chose Japan
In 2020, during his final year at Google, Tarifi convinced his manager to send him to Tokyo, a move that ultimately set the direction for his company. While the US leads in AI, he said it lags behind in robotics because manufacturing has long been outsourced. Japan, meanwhile, is the global centre of industrial robotics.
“Going to Japan allowed me to combine the best of AI from Silicon Valley with the best of robotics in Tokyo,” he said. Immersing himself in the ecosystem, from suppliers to manufacturers to end customers, helped him understand how to design products for real-world deployment. During that year, he also pushed himself to learn Japanese by deliberately stepping into uncomfortable situations.
Founding Integral AI
Tarifi left Google in 2021 and founded Integral AI, which aims to build AI systems capable of controlling robots and autonomous vehicles. Operating in Japan, he said, comes with challenges, from rigid administrative rules to outdated paperwork systems. He even needed a personal “hanko” stamp for official documents, and opening a business bank account took three months.
Still, the trade-off is worth it for access to Japan’s world-leading robotics market. Working there also reshaped his approach to innovation. While Silicon Valley encourages “move fast and break things,” Japan forces engineers to think systematically, iterating step by step. “It feels healthier and more sustainable,” he said.
His advice: if you want to supercharge your tech career, Silicon Valley remains the place to be. But if you want cutting-edge tech work without sacrificing community and balance, Japan offers a rare middle ground, “where you can have your cake and eat it too.”