Topic overview
In brief
- Demis Hassabis is transitioning to become the chair of Google DeepMind and chief scientist at Alphabet.
- Koray Kavukcuoglu is promoted to Senior Vice President of DeepMind and will report to Sundar Pichai.
- These changes reflect Google's commitment to using AI to improve human health and advance scientific discovery.
Summary
In a significant restructuring of its artificial intelligence leadership, Google has announced major changes that include the departure of Demis Hassabis from his role as head of Google DeepMind. This transition was confirmed by CEO Sundar Pichai on Wednesday, August 5, 2026. Hassabis will now serve as the chair of Google DeepMind and the chief scientist at Alphabet, while continuing to lead Alphabet's Isomorphic Labs, which focuses on utilizing AI for drug development. This shift underscores the company's commitment to leveraging AI for advancements in human health, a priority that Hassabis has emphasized in his communications with staff.
Alongside Hassabis's new position, Koray Kavukcuoglu, who previously held the title of Chief Technology Officer at DeepMind, is stepping up to become the Senior Vice President of DeepMind at Google. Kavukcuoglu will report directly to Pichai and will also retain his role as Google’s chief AI architect. This leadership change is part of a broader strategy to enhance the company's AI capabilities and ensure that AI technologies are effectively applied to improve health outcomes, as highlighted by Hassabis's statement regarding the potential of AI to help cure diseases like cancer.