Google Loses 2 Star AI Researchers to OpenAI and Anthropic, Sending Shares Down 5%
Updated
Updated · Business Insider · Jun 23
Google Loses 2 Star AI Researchers to OpenAI and Anthropic, Sending Shares Down 5%
3 articles · Updated · Business Insider · Jun 23
Summary
Noam Shazeer left Google’s Gemini team for OpenAI, and John Jumper left DeepMind for Anthropic with a one-year garden leave, marking two high-profile defections in days.
The exits sharpen an AI talent war now centered on celebrity researchers: Shazeer co-invented Transformers, while Jumper shared a Nobel Prize for AlphaFold work with Demis Hassabis.
Google’s stock fell as much as 7% on Monday before closing down 5%, underscoring investor concern that the departures could weaken its position in the AI race.
The blow is especially notable because Google paid $2.7 billion in 2024 to license Character.AI technology and rehire Shazeer, highlighting how highly it valued him.
Anthropic and OpenAI have recently led rivals in AI coding tools, and the moves add pressure on Google even as it argues its deep talent bench can absorb a handful of exits.
Google lost $270B over talent but profits from its rival. Is the AI war just financial engineering?
After a $2.7 billion deal to re-hire a star researcher, why couldn't Google make him stay for two years?
If AI-generated code can't be copyrighted, what is the real value of enterprise AI coding tools?
Google DeepMind Hit by Nobel Scientist Exit: John Jumper Joins Anthropic, Alphabet Shares Slide Amid AI Talent Crisis
Overview
The departure of Nobel Prize-winning scientist John Jumper from Google DeepMind to Anthropic in June 2026 triggered a noticeable drop in Alphabet's stock, highlighting the immense value placed on top AI talent. Jumper's move underscored the fierce competition for leading researchers in the rapidly evolving AI sector and signaled a significant challenge for Google in retaining its top experts. The market's immediate reaction reflected how critical individual researchers are to a company's innovation and reputation, emphasizing the ongoing 'talent war' that is reshaping the artificial intelligence industry.