Google Deepmind has restructured its AlphaFold team, with most of the original researchers reassigned to other projects. Almost a quarter of the full-time authors of the AlphaFold papers have left the company entirely, according to the Financial Times. The move signals a departure from the lab's previous strategy of focusing on long-term scientific breakthroughs through dedicated research teams.
The researchers are now working on projects related to Google's Gemini large language model, enzyme design, nuclear fusion, and genomics. Some have transferred to Isomorphic Labs, an Alphabet subsidiary focused on drug discovery. Deepmind confirmed the restructuring, stating it is 'incredibly proud' of its scientific heritage and the global impact of AlphaFold.
John Jumper, vice president and engineering fellow, and Deepmind CEO Demis Hassabis received the 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their work on AlphaFold. The project became the defining example of Deepmind's strategy of pursuing long-term scientific breakthroughs. That approach is now being abandoned in favor of building Gemini-powered systems that can assist scientists and eventually automate parts of the scientific process.
Source: thedecoder
