Google AI colead Noam Shazeer joins OpenAI

A prominent artificial intelligence researcher has left Google to join rival OpenAI, marking a significant shift in the intensifying competition for top AI talent. Noam Shazeer, a vice president of engineering and co-lead of Google's Gemini AI models, announced his departure on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, in a post on the social media platform X.

Shazeer's exit comes less than two years after he rejoined Google in August 2024. His return was part of a complex deal in which Google struck a technology licensing agreement with Character.AI, a startup Shazeer co-founded after initially leaving Google in 2021. That agreement was valued at approximately $2.7 billion. Shazeer, who owned an estimated 30-40% of Character.AI, reportedly received between $750 million and $1 billion from the transaction.

In his announcement, Shazeer called the decision to leave a difficult one. He expressed pride in the team at Google and excitement about joining OpenAI, though he did not specify his new role.

A Google spokesperson acknowledged Shazeer's departure in a statement, saying the company is grateful for his meaningful contributions over the years. Shazeer first joined Google in 2000 and is a...