The PracticeJune 24, 2026via TechCrunch AI
AI researchers continue to leave Google for its rivals
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.
Key signals
- Jonas 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
The hook
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.
Top AI researchers Jonas Adler and Alexander Pritzel are leaving Google for Anthropic, following departures from top scientists Noam Shazeer and John Jumper.