Not so long ago, Google risked being seen as a sleeping giant, coasting on its supersize status while agile competitors raced ahead in the artificial intelligence arms race. But according to Demis Hassabis, CEO of Google DeepMind, that narrative is dead.
In an interview with Fortune editor-in-chief Alyson Shontell on the Titans and Disruptors of Industry podcast, Hassabis revealed that reports of deep engagement by Google cofounders Larry Page and Sergey Brin are very real, and they are actively driving a resurgence that has placed the $3.9 trillion tech titan back on offense. The result, Hassabis claims, is the dawn of a new “golden era” of discovery and product velocity.
“Sergey has been in the weeds, programming,” Hassabis told Fortune regarding Brin’s involvement in recent projects, particularly the fantastically well-received Gemini models. Page is getting involved as well, Hassabis said, in more strategic ways. This hands-on return has “been fantastic” for Hassabis to see, helping push the company’s technical boundaries and ensuring the necessary resources are deployed to train massive frontier models.
Brin addressed his unretirement in December 2025, speaking at Stanford University’s School of Engineering centennial celebration about stepping back from a day-to-day role in late 2019, just before the pandemic hit. He said he felt himself “spiraling” despite his status as one of the world’s richest men, and found himself going into work when the Googleplex reopened for employees in 2023. The Wall Street Journal reported at the time that this meant Brin showed up for work three to four times per week, and by February 2025 he had issued an internal memo advising Google employees visit Mountain View at least five times a week, with 60-hour weeks hitting the “sweet spot” of productivity.
