WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Google, under Alphabet Inc. (GOOG) is making major changes to its AI leadership team. Longtime AI leader and chief scientist Jeff Dean is leaving the company after 27 years to launch a new artificial intelligence startup, marking the end of one of the most influential careers in the company's history.
Dean, widely regarded as one of Google's foremost AI pioneers, will co-found Discovery Loop, an independent public benefit corporation focused on advancing AI for science and engineering, alongside Google senior fellow Sanjay Ghemawat. Google said it will invest in the new venture.
DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis will also step back from day-to-day management to become chair of Google DeepMind, and he'll also take on a new position as Alphabet's chief scientist.
The shake-up comes as Google ramps up its AI efforts amid intense competition from OpenAI and Anthropic.
Meanwhile, DeepMind CTO Koray Kavukcuoglu has been promoted to senior vice president at Google DeepMind. In that role, he'll lead development of the company's next-generation Gemini models and report directly to CEO Sundar Pichai.
Hassabis said the transition will allow him to focus more on AI's broader scientific direction and help guide the push toward artificial general intelligence (AGI).
The changes come as Google increases investment in AI infrastructure and products while navigating a fast-moving, highly competitive market.
The company has released new Gemini models and continues expanding its cloud AI business, but it's also facing delays to Gemini 3.5 Pro and growing competition for top AI talent.
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