The Download: Google’s AI shake-up and Meta’s rogue model

This is today’s edition of The Download , our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology. Google’s AI empire is being reshaped. Here’s what’s changed. After a wave of painful losses in the tech talent wars , delays to its next flagship model , and murmurings of poor morale , Google has announced a major shake-up to its AI operations. Here’s a quick rundown of what’s happened and why it matters. DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis is stepping back from running the unit day-to-day He’s becoming the unit’s chairman and Alphabet’s chief scientist , a broader role. DeepMind will now be led by CTO Koray Kavukcuoglu, under the title of senior vice-president. DeepMind may be absorbed into Google’s wider business Google is expected to tighten its control over the AI lab , which it acquired 12 years ago. Jeff Dean is leaving to start a new AI company After 27 years at Google, the company’s former chief scientist is launching Discovery Loop with three former colleagues . The startup’s goal is to fully automate the process of scientific research, and Google is one of its early investors. The changes come amid financial concerns at Google AI In the latest quarter, the company turned cash flow negative for the first time on record. Google is now concentrating its AI leadership in California . The company is now shifting its AI science strategy It’s moving from specialized tools, like DeepMind’s AlphaFold, toward agentic AI systems that can conduct research more autonomously. Find out more in our recent story . We’re excited to share that MIT Technology Review is now on Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts , as well as LinkedIn and WhatsApp . You can hear straight from MIT Technology Review journalists in the channels and formats you prefer as they help you understand what’s happening next in the ever-changing world of technology—and what it means for you—all while offering a behind-the-scenes look at their reporting. To get you started, let