Google's AI Division Sees Major Reshuffle as Veteran Scientist Departs

Google has been left by one of its employees, Jeff Dean, who has worked for 27 years. He previously served as chief scientist of the AI division and will now establish a new company called Discovery Loop.

CEO Sundar Pichai bid farewell to Dean in a post on Google’s blog. He confirmed that the company will support Dean’s development in the future.

“After an extraordinary 27-year career, Jeff Dean wants to try something new and we are happy to support him,” said Pichai, as quoted from CNBC International on Monday (10/8/2026).

Dean will work together with another Google senior fellow, Sanjay Ghemawat. Pichai said the two will work to accelerate discoveries in the fields of machine learning, science and engineering.

Meanwhile, Dean explained that Discovery Loop will be a non-profit company focused on AI for science and engineering.

On the same occasion, Pichai also announced a reshuffle of Google’s AI division. Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis will become the head of the unit and chief scientist of Alphabet.

Hassabis joined Google in 2014. At that time, the company bought DeepMind, which he also founded.

Over the past few years, he has led almost all work related to fundamental AI at Alphabet. Hassabis said that going forward he will work with Pichai on strategic and global matters related to AI.

“I have decided that now is the right time to hand over my day-to-day operational responsibilities at GDM. This gives me the time and space to focus on the bigger picture and help influence what is to come,” he explained.

Another reshuffle will involve Koray Kavukcuoglu. He will leave his position as chief technology officer of DeepMind to become head of the AI division.