AI researchers continue to leave Google for its rivals
Google's losing its best. Jonas Adler and Alexander Pritzel just jumped to Anthropic—joining Shazeer and Jumper in a brain drain that's reshaping the AI power structure.
Why it matters
Google's talent exodus to well-funded rivals (Anthropic in particular) signals either internal misalignment on AI direction or superior opportunity/compensation elsewhere. For investors, it's a leading indicator of which labs have momentum and strategic clarity.
The key facts
6 to knowJonas Adler departing Google to Anthropic
Alexander Pritzel departing Google to Anthropic
Noam Shazeer previously departed Google (destination implied: rival lab)
John Jumper previously departed Google (destination implied: rival lab)
Pattern: multiple senior researchers leaving same company for same destination
Published June 24, 2026 on TechCrunch
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Publisher excerpt: Top AI researchers Jonas Adler and Alexander Pritzel are leaving Google for Anthropic, following departures from top scientists Noam Shazeer and John Jumper.