Google CEO Sundar Pichai has announced a major AI leadership change. Demis Hassabis is stepping down as Google DeepMind CEO and taking on a new role as Chair of Google DeepMind and Chief Scientist of Alphabet. Pichai said the move will allow Hassabis to focus on the future of artificial general intelligence (AGI) and scientific research. On the other hand, Koray Kavukcuoglu, who has been serving as Google DeepMind’s Chief Technology Officer and Chief AI Architect, will become Senior Vice President of Google DeepMind.
Explaining the decision, Pichai said this is an important moment for AI development. He said Hassabis has spent years working toward AGI and is the right person to help guide its future. “This is truly his life’s work and purpose,” Pichai wrote in a message to employees.
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Hassabis also shared why he decided to step back from running Google DeepMind every day. He said he wants more time to focus on the bigger picture as AI continues to advance.
“I’ve been working towards AGI my whole life and now, like many of you, I feel it is close at hand,” Hassabis said. “With this backdrop, I’ve decided that now is the right time for me to hand over my day-to-day operational responsibilities at GDM, so that I have the time and space to focus on the big picture and help influence what is to come to the best of my ability.”
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In his new position, Hassabis will work closely with Sundar Pichai on long-term AGI strategy. He will also continue advising Google DeepMind’s teams while remaining leading Isomorphic Labs.
Hassabis said he plans to spend more time helping Isomorphic Labs move faster in its mission. According to him, AI should play a major role in improving healthcare. ” I’ve always believed the No.1 application of AI should be to improve human health. It’s time for AI to prove its unequivocal value to the world, and what better way to demonstrate that than to help finally cure diseases like cancer,” he said
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Meanwhile, Koray Kavukcuoglu will take charge of Google DeepMind’s daily operations. Pichai said Koray has been with DeepMind for more than 13 years and has played a key role in several major AI breakthroughs. Hassabis also expressed confidence in the new leadership, saying the Gemini models are “in good hands.”
Pichai also announced that longtime Google executive Jeff Dean will leave after 27 years to launch a new public benefit company with Google Senior Fellow Sanjay Ghemawat. Alphabet will continue working with the new company as an investor and cloud partner.