Google just announced a major shakeup of its top AI leadership

Google is making some significant AI leadership changes, including a major shift for Google DeepMind leader Demis Hassabis.

Hassabis will become the chair of Google DeepMind and the chief scientist at Alphabet, CEO Sundar Pichai announced on Wednesday. Hassabis will continue to lead Alphabet’s Isomorphic Labs, which aims to use AI to develop drugs. Koray Kavukcuoglu, formerly DeepMind’s CTO, is stepping up to become Google’s SVP of DeepMind and will report to Pichai. Kavukcuoglu will remain Google’s chief AI architect as well.

“​​As you’ve heard me say many times, I’ve always believed the No.1 application of AI should be to improve human health,” Hassabis says in a message to staff. “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.” Hassabis says he will “continue to work closely with Sundar on strategic and global AGI matters” and to advise Kavukcuoglu and other DeepMind leads.

In another big change, veteran Googler Jeff Dean — the chief scientist of Google DeepMind and Google’s 30th employee — is leaving with Google Fellow Sanjay Ghemawat to form an AI-focused public benefit corporation called Discovery Loop. Google will be a “founding investor” in the new company, Pichai says.

“Our mission is straightforward: we are building AI solutions that can automatically solve important problems in machine learning, science, and engineering,” Discovery Loop says on its website. “By advancing the pace at which we conduct engineering and scientific discovery, we can bring the benefits of science and technology to the world much faster. Ultimately, our goal is to build AI systems that act as a deeply positive, empowering force for humanity, delivering technology solutions that improve people’s lives on a global scale.”