What’s behind the Google AI shakeup

<figure> <img alt="" data-caption="" data-portal-copyright="Image: Alex Parkin / The Verge" data-has-syndication-rights="1" src="https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/VRG_VST080726_Site.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;crop=0,0,100,100" /> <figcaption> </figcaption> </figure> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Some of the biggest names on Google's AI team <a href="https://www.theverge.com/tech/975677/google-deepmind-ai-demis-hassabis-shakeup">got new jobs this week</a>. In some cases, including for legendary Googler Jeff Dean, those jobs are no longer at Google. Given that Google's models seem to be behind the best of what's coming out of anthropic and OpenAI, is this a sign of Google in turmoil? Is it about Demis Hassabis wanting something more interesting to work on than virtual assistants? Or is there <a href="https://www.theverge.com/tech/976108/google-ai-leadership-shakeup-jeff-dean-demis-hassabis-deepmind">something else entirely happening here</a>?</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">On <a href="https://pod.link/vergecast">this episode of <em>The Vergecast,</em></a> Nilay and David start by discussing the leadership shake-up at Google, the state of the AI race, and whether Google is actually set up to succeed here. They also t …</p> <p><a href="https://www.theverge.com/podcast/976784/google-deepmind-ai-race-vergecast">Read the full story at The Verge.</a></p>