{"slug": "google-deepmind-expands-globally-as-ai-research-race-intensifies", "title": "Google DeepMind expands globally as AI research race intensifies", "summary": "Google DeepMind opened its first dedicated research hub outside its existing offices, an AI Campus in Seoul built with South Korea's Ministry of Science and ICT, as part of a year that also included a five-year genomics data consortium with the Wellcome Sanger Institute at $5 million annually ($25 million total) and an August leadership transition in which co-founder Demis Hassabis moved to a chair role at Google DeepMind and chief scientist of Alphabet, with Koray Kavukcuoglu taking day-to-day leadership as SVP. Alphabet shares fell 4% after the leadership announcement, which investors tied to concerns over model release timelines. The moves mark an expanded global AI research footprint for Google DeepMind amid an intensifying AI research race.", "body_md": "Logo via Wikimedia Commons; treatment-A cover, license to verify on approval\n\n# Google DeepMind expands globally as AI research race intensifies\n\nThe new initiative arrives as Google DeepMind navigates leadership changes and expands its global AI research footprint.\n\n## A busy year for Google DeepMind\n\nIn April, the company unveiled its first-ever AI Campus in Seoul, built through a partnership with South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT. That facility marked [Google](https://cryptobriefing.com/markets/alphabet/) DeepMind’s inaugural dedicated physical research hub outside its existing offices.\n\nThen in June, Google DeepMind and Google.org announced a five-year genomics data consortium with the Wellcome Sanger Institute, committing $5 million annually to the effort. That $25 million total investment reflects a bet that AI-driven genomics will be one of the most consequential applications of the technology over the coming decade.\n\nPerhaps the most consequential shift, though, happened in August. Demis Hassabis, the co-founder who built DeepMind from a London startup into one of the world’s most important AI labs, transitioned to a chair role at Google DeepMind while also becoming chief scientist of parent company Alphabet. Koray Kavukcuoglu, a longtime DeepMind researcher, stepped into the day-to-day leadership position as SVP.\n\nWall Street noticed. Alphabet shares dropped 4% following the leadership announcement, with investors apparently rattled by concerns over model release timelines and the broader implications of shuffling the executive deck during a critical period in the AI arms race.\n\n### AI, tech, and the markets they move—in one daily briefing.\n\nDaily. Free. Join 34,000+ readers across crypto, finance, and policy.\n\n## The leadership transition factor\n\nKavukcuoglu, who now runs day-to-day operations, has deep roots in DeepMind’s research apparatus. His appointment was broadly seen as a continuity pick rather than a pivot toward pure product development. Still, the 4% stock decline after the announcement suggested that investors wanted more certainty about what the transition means for Google’s AI output cadence.\n\n**Disclosure:** This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our\n\n[Editorial Policy](https://cryptobriefing.com/editorial-policy/).", "url": "https://wpnews.pro/news/google-deepmind-expands-globally-as-ai-research-race-intensifies", "canonical_source": "https://cryptobriefing.com/google-deepmind-institute-launch/", "published_at": "2026-09-16 14:34:59+00:00", "updated_at": "2026-09-16 14:41:05.377249+00:00", "lang": "en", "topics": ["ai-research", "artificial-intelligence", "ai-policy"], "entities": ["Google DeepMind", "Google", "Alphabet", "Demis Hassabis", "Koray Kavukcuoglu", "Wellcome Sanger Institute", "South Korea Ministry of Science and ICT", "Google.org"], "alternates": {"html": "https://wpnews.pro/news/google-deepmind-expands-globally-as-ai-research-race-intensifies", "markdown": "https://wpnews.pro/news/google-deepmind-expands-globally-as-ai-research-race-intensifies.md", "text": "https://wpnews.pro/news/google-deepmind-expands-globally-as-ai-research-race-intensifies.txt", "jsonld": "https://wpnews.pro/news/google-deepmind-expands-globally-as-ai-research-race-intensifies.jsonld"}}