Google is reshuffling the leadership of Google DeepMind as the company looks to accelerate its AI push and maintain momentum around Gemini.
Under the changes announced by CEO Sundar Pichai, Koray Kavukcuoglu, currently Chief Technology Officer of Google DeepMind and Google’s Chief AI Architect, will become Senior Vice President of Google DeepMind. He will report directly to Pichai and oversee Gemini model development, frontier AI research, as well as the Gemini app and developer teams.
The leadership change comes as Google continues to bring its AI research and products closer together, amid intensifying competition in the generative AI market.
As part of the restructuring, Demis Hassabis will step back from day-to-day operational responsibilities at Google DeepMind.
Hassabis will become Chair of Google DeepMind and Chief Scientist of Alphabet, allowing him to focus more on long-term AI strategy, scientific research and the broader development of artificial general intelligence (AGI).
He will also continue to lead Isomorphic Labs, Alphabet’s AI-powered drug discovery company. The move does not mark Hassabis’ exit from Google DeepMind. Instead, his role shifts from managing the organisation’s daily operations to focusing on its longer-term scientific and strategic direction.
Kavukcuoglu has been with DeepMind for around 13 years, having joined the company during its early years. He founded DeepMind’s deep learning team and was involved in breakthroughs including WaveNet and DQN. He currently serves as both Google DeepMind’s CTO and Google’s Chief AI Architect.
With his expanded role, Kavukcuoglu will now have direct responsibility for the teams developing Google’s Gemini models and products. The appointment therefore puts much of Google’s operational AI agenda under a single leader, with Gemini development, frontier research and developer-facing teams falling within his remit.
The reshuffle comes as Google doubles down on Gemini across its products and services.
In his announcement, Pichai said the Gemini app has surpassed 950 million monthly users, while demand for Gemini models among developers and businesses continues to grow.
The company is also investing heavily in frontier AI research and infrastructure as it competes with players including OpenAI and Anthropic. Recent reporting has pointed to growing pressure inside Google to move faster in the AI race, making the leadership changes particularly significant for the company’s Gemini strategy.
The leadership reshuffle also includes the departure of Jeff Dean, one of Google’s longest-serving technical leaders. Dean is leaving Google after 27 years to launch a new public benefit corporation focused on using AI to accelerate discoveries in science and engineering. Google said it will remain involved as a founding investor and cloud partner. Dean’s departure, alongside Hassabis’ shift in responsibilities, marks a significant change in Google’s AI leadership structure.
FAQs
- Who is the new head of Google DeepMind?
Koray Kavukcuoglu has been appointed Senior Vice President of Google DeepMind and will oversee its key AI operations. - What is Demis Hassabis’ new role at Google?
Hassabis will become Chair of Google DeepMind and Chief Scientist of Alphabet, focusing on broader scientific and strategic priorities. - Will Demis Hassabis leave Google DeepMind?
No. He is stepping away from day-to-day operational responsibilities but will remain as Chair of Google DeepMind and continue leading Isomorphic Labs. - What will Koray Kavukcuoglu oversee?
His responsibilities include Gemini model development, frontier AI research, and the Gemini app and developer teams. - Why is Google reshuffling its AI leadership?
The changes come as Google seeks to accelerate its AI efforts and maintain momentum in the increasingly competitive generative AI market.
