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Transformer Paper Author Noam Shazeer Departs Google for OpenAI

June 17, 2026 at 22:01 EDT

Foundation Models
Recruiting & HR

Noam Shazeer, a Google Vice President of Engineering who served as co-lead of the Gemini AI models, announced on June 17, 2026 that he is leaving Google to join OpenAI. As a principal author of the paper that introduced the Transformer architecture, his move stands as a symbol of the talent contest reshaping the AI industry.

June 17, 2026 · AI Talent Race

Gemini Co-Lead Noam Shazeer Departs Google for OpenAI

A Transformer co-author Google paid heavily to win back is leaving for OpenAI after less than two years — a vivid marker of how fiercely the industry now competes for top AI talent.

From

Google

Gemini co-lead · VP

→

OpenAI

Role · pay · timing undisclosed

The price of winning him back — then losing him

In Aug 2024 Google paid a ~$2.7B licensing deal to bring Shazeer back. His tenure as Gemini co-lead lasted under 2 years.

~$2.7B

2024 return deal

< 2 yrs

Time as Gemini co-lead

2017

Co-author of "Attention Is All You Need" — the Transformer paper

2000

Joined Google as an early employee; later co-founded Character.AI

$100Ms

Reported personal gains from his stake in the return deal

Why it matters

The model contest increasingly hinges on a handful of top researchers — and one just changed sides.

Shazeer confirmed the move, calling it "a difficult decision"; Google cited his "meaningful contributions."
Eyes now on Gemini's development structure and Google DeepMind's competitiveness.
OpenAI is reported to be preparing for an IPO; no related benchmark or pricing changes announced.

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