Koray Kavukcuoglu has been appointed as the new head of DeepMind, taking over from co-founder Demis Hassabis, who will now serve as chair. This leadership change comes at a critical time as Google has not released a competitive AI model since early 2026, while OpenAI and Anthropic have made significant advancements with their latest systems.
Analysts, including Ben Wood from CCS Insight, suggest that Kavukcuoglu's promotion signals a strategic pivot for Google, focusing more on practical applications and performance improvements rather than purely academic pursuits. The company has faced criticism for lagging behind in coding capabilities, an area where OpenAI and Anthropic excel.
Despite this, Google maintains a strong position in AI monetization, with nearly 90% of Fortune 100 companies utilizing its Gemini Enterprise services. The stock market reacted negatively to the leadership change, but overall, Alphabet shares have seen a substantial increase of around 76% over the past year.
Moving forward, Kavukcuoglu is expected to prioritize the timely release of new models, starting with Gemini 3.5 Pro, and to rebuild the expertise that has been lost due to high-profile departures from the team.
This restructuring could enhance Google's competitive edge in the AI landscape, as it consolidates its development teams under a single executive, a strategy that may prove more effective than the approaches taken by its rivals