Report: DeepMind Founder Hassabis Wanted to Leave; Google Moved Him to Chair to Prevent Stock Crash
firstadopter · x · 2026-08-08
According to a report by tech publication Pathfounders, there is more than meets the eye regarding Google DeepMind founder Demis Hassabis stepping down as CEO to become Chairman.
Sources indicate that Hassabis originally planned to leave alongside Chief Scientist Jeff Dean. However, Google management feared that losing two key figures simultaneously would trigger a stock price collapse (the stock had already fallen 5% following the initial announcement). Ultimately, Hassabis was persuaded to take the Chairman role, allowing him to exit gracefully after a transition period.
DeepMind has recently experienced a significant talent drain: Jeff Dean departed to launch the science-focused startup Discovery Loop; John Jumper has reportedly joined Anthropic; and David Silver has shifted to other projects. Hassabis stated he would lean more into his work at the drug discovery startup Isomorphic Labs and recently proposed an industry-led AI standards body.
Related event: Report: Hassabis Planned to Leave Google, Retained Over Stock Crash Fears(12 posts)→
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