one year on
Alphabet merges Google Brain and DeepMind into Google DeepMind under Demis Hassabis
The consolidation brings together Google Brain and DeepMind into a single unit called Google DeepMind, backed by Google's computational resources, to accelerate progress toward more capable AI systems.
Alphabet today announced the merger of its two major artificial intelligence research groups — Google Brain, part of Google Research, and DeepMind — into a single unit called Google DeepMind. The move brings together two groups that have reportedly had tensions in the past and consolidates the company’s AI talent as it races to catch up with OpenAI’s ChatGPT.
Demis Hassabis, CEO of DeepMind, will lead the new unit. Jeff Dean, who led Google’s AI efforts, takes the elevated role of chief scientist at Google, reporting to CEO Sundar Pichai. Dean’s first strategic project will be a series of powerful, multi-modal AI models. James Manyika will oversee Google Research, along with his existing Tech & Society teams, reporting to Dean.
Pichai said the combined group will operate as a ‘nimble, fast-paced unit’ with access to Google’s computational resources. Hassabis told employees the merger aims to solve ‘some of the hardest scientific and engineering challenges of our time’ and will create ‘the next wave of world-changing breakthroughs.’ The announcement comes after OpenAI’s ChatGPT launch sharpened competitive pressure on Google.
The record
In a memo to staff, Pichai said combining talent into one focused team backed by Google's computational resources will significantly accelerate progress in AI.
In an internal email, Hassabis said the merger will help build the next generation of AI breakthroughs and products across Google and Alphabet, and that the combined unit can get to a future where AI helps solve the biggest challenges faster.
The merger is seen as a reorganization in response to rapid AI developments following OpenAI's launch of ChatGPT late last year, and reflects tensions between DeepMind and Google Research that led DeepMind to seek more independence.
One year later — open only if you can handle spoilers
Google DeepMind went on to release Gemini, a family of multimodal models, in late 2023. The merger is widely credited with accelerating Gemini's development, though internal culture clashes between the two former groups persisted for months after the announcement.