Google DeepMind disbands AlphaFold team to prioritize Gemini AI
Big change at Google DeepMind: the team behind AlphaFold, the AI that cracked protein folding, has been disbanded as the company shifts its focus to building Gemini-powered AI for broader scientific challenges.
Don't worry, though: the huge AlphaFold database (with more than 200 million protein structures) is still open for researchers working on new medicines and understanding diseases like Alzheimer's disease.
Most AlphaFold staff move within DeepMind
Most of the original AlphaFold crew has moved to other DeepMind projects like genomics, enzyme design, and nuclear fusion. A few key members, including John Jumper, have left for Anthropic.
DeepMind Vice President of Research Pushmeet Kohli said the company is now focusing on Gemini-powered AI that can help scientists tackle a wider range of research challenges instead of working through dedicated teams.