Google Dismantles DeepMind Amid Fears of Losing AI Edge
Google is reorganizing its DeepMind division after years of restructuring efforts. Demis Hassabis, founder and former CEO of DeepMind, may soon leave the company to focus on his pharmaceutical startup Isomorphic Labs and scientific work.
A current employee described DeepMind as 'just another subdivision' of Google, while a former manager believes that 'the era of DeepMind as an independent actor is over.'
Koray Kavukcuoglu will take over day-to-day operations from the US but won't carry the CEO title. Hassabis was 'promoted' to chairman in what appears to be a smooth exit strategy.
The departure of top talent, including Jeff Dean and Hassabis, has raised concerns that Google is losing its edge in AI development. Some experts compare this situation to IBM's retreat from the PC business or Intel giving up on bold investments.