New DeepMind CEO tasked with closing AI gap with OpenAI and Anthropic

Aug 12, 2026

AI Summary

Koray Kavukcuoglu has been appointed as the new CEO of DeepMind, succeeding Demis Hassabis. His main challenge will be to enhance Google's AI capabilities and compete with OpenAI and Anthropic, which have recently made significant advancements in AI technology.

Koray Kavukcuoglu has been promoted to CEO of DeepMind, replacing cofounder Demis Hassabis, who becomes chair of the organization.
Kavukcuoglu, previously the AI unit's CTO, is expected to focus on improving Google's AI performance to compete with OpenAI and Anthropic.
Google has not released a major AI model since early 2026, while OpenAI and Anthropic have launched advanced systems that have raised both praise and concern.
Analysts suggest that Google's past focus on monetizable areas like Search has contributed to its lag in AI development, particularly in coding capabilities.
Kavukcuoglu's appointment signals a shift towards faster execution and product-oriented development in Google's AI strategy.
He will oversee the development of the Gemini model and report directly to Google CEO Sundar Pichai.
Despite recent leadership changes, Google remains committed to its AI initiatives and has seen significant adoption of its Gemini Enterprise services among Fortune 100 companies.
The company aims to maintain a strong presence in the UK AI ecosystem, where DeepMind was originally based.

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New DeepMind CEO tasked with closing AI gap with OpenAI and Anthropic

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