2 weeks ago
Google's Big AI Reshuffle: Brin Pushes Gemini, Hassabis Steps Aside
Google makes a super-smart computer program called Gemini.
A team called Google DeepMind works on making it smarter.
Lately, other companies like Anthropic and OpenAI made their programs faster and smarter, so Gemini fell behind.
Google's co-founder Sergey Brin told the team they need to work harder and catch up.
In August, Google changed the leaders of the DeepMind team.
Demis Hassabis stepped back to become the chair, and his helper Koray Kavukcuoglu became the new boss.
Two scientists who helped create Gemini left to start their own new company.
Google also delayed the new version of Gemini by two months because it was not good enough yet.
The changes made Google's stock go down, and some workers are worried about what happens next.
Google overhauled Google DeepMind leadership on August 5, with Koray Kavukcuoglu replacing Demis Hassabis as CEO while Hassabis became chair.
Gemini's original technical co-leads Jeff Dean and Oriol Vinyals quit to co-found a startup.
Google delayed the new flagship Gemini version by two months after internal testing showed it lagging rivals in areas like coding.
Co-founder Sergey Brin urged staff to go all in on Gemini and pushed resources toward recursive self-improvement.
Some teams are moving out of DeepMind into corporate Google, and Google's stock dropped 4% on the announcement day.
- Who
- Google co-founder Sergey Brin, Google DeepMind leaders Demis Hassabis and Koray Kavukcuoglu, Gemini co-leads Jeff Dean and Oriol Vinyals, and Google CEO Sundar Pichai
- What
- A sweeping leadership overhaul of Google DeepMind, with Hassabis stepping aside for Kavukcuoglu, after Gemini fell behind rivals such as Anthropic and OpenAI
- Where
- Mountain View, California, and London, DeepMind's original base
- When
- Announced August 5, with a unit-wide all-hands meeting on August 6
- Why
- To close the gap with AI rivals; Google delayed the next Gemini flagship by two months after internal tests showed it lagging in areas like coding
Critics and Worried Staff
Google Executives
Google's place in the AI race
Critics and Worried Staff
Some industry observers question whether Google is exiting the model race after repeated setbacks, delays, and leadership departures.
Google Executives
Executives including Sundar Pichai say Google is at the frontier in certain areas like video generation and remains committed to catching up in others.
Hassabis's leadership of DeepMind
Critics and Worried Staff
A Reuters special report said Hassabis worked against efforts that could have meant new revenue for Alphabet or better footing in the AI race, focusing on long-term science.
Google Executives
Hassabis's Google allies rejected the idea that he gave short shrift to the business or focused too much on long-term science.
DeepMind's autonomy
Critics and Worried Staff
Staff worry that DeepMind's autonomy is being subsumed by Google as teams move into the corporate reporting structure.
Google Executives
Leaders said day-to-day work at the lab would remain the same, with Kavukcuoglu staying in charge of Gemini.
Key facts
- Company
- Google (Alphabet)
- AI lab
- Google DeepMind
- New DeepMind CEO
- Koray Kavukcuoglu
- Former CEO / new chair
- Demis Hassabis
- Departing Gemini co-leads
- Jeff Dean and Oriol Vinyals
- Gemini flagship delay
- Two months
- Stock reaction
- Google's stock dropped 4% on announcement day
- Key dates
- April town hall with Brin; August 5 announcement; August 6 all-hands meeting
Sources
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