Google is shifting control of its AI effort from London back to Silicon Valley in a sweeping leadership overhaul that cements the returning influence of co-founder Sergey Brin.

According to a dozen people familiar with the Big Tech group, including current and former staff, the changes represent a fundamental reordering of the company’s AI leadership, consolidating power in California as Google pushes to commercialise its Gemini models and close the gap with its rivals.

Sir Demis Hassabis is stepping back from running Google DeepMind, the AI lab he founded, with day-to-day control passing to new senior vice-president Koray Kavukcuoglu.

The former DeepMind chief technology officer relocated from London to Google’s Mountain View headquarters last year and now leads development of Gemini from a desk beside Brin.

The overhaul represents a seismic shift at the $4.4tn company, as commercial urgency eclipses the research-led culture that defined its DeepMind lab for more than a decade.