Microsoft poaches DeepMind as AI talent war escalates between Copilot and Gemini
Meanwhile, Google recently signed a $2.4 million deal with Windsurf CEO Varun Mohan, who is of Indian origin, indicating its own efforts to reinforce its AI talent pool in response to mounting attrition.
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In the intensifying arms race for AI supremacy, Microsoft has poached over two dozen employees from Google’s DeepMind, further fuelling the rivalry between its Copilot AI platform and Google’s Gemini assistant. This aggressive hiring spree marks another chapter in the ongoing power struggle between tech giants vying for dominance in the rapidly evolving generative AI landscape.
The latest high-profile move came on July 22, when Amar Subramanya, former VP of Engineering at Google, announced his transition to Microsoft AI as Corporate Vice President via LinkedIn. Subramanya, who played a key role in developing the Gemini assistant, had spent over 15 years at Google.
He’s not alone. In June, Microsoft brought on Adam Sadovsky, a decorated software engineer and senior director at DeepMind, who had been with Google for nearly 18 years. Both now report to Mustafa Suleyman, the co-founder of DeepMind who joined Microsoft in 2022 to lead its consumer AI division under CEO Satya Nadella. Suleyman’s arrival marked the start of a slow exodus of DeepMind talent, many of whom he’s brought along to build Microsoft’s next-generation AI strategy.
These poachings have left key roles at Google and DeepMind vacant, exposing the pressure mounting within Alphabet’s AI teams amid the Copilot-Gemini rivalry.
The Microsoft-Google talent tug-of-war comes against a broader backdrop of competitive tension across the AI industry. Earlier, Meta reportedly offered $100 million signing bonuses to lure employees from OpenAI, as revealed by CEO Sam Altman. Meta also hired prominent names like Scale AI CEO Alexandr Wang and former GitHub CEO Nat Friedman to boost its AI bench strength.
Meanwhile, Google recently signed a $2.4 million deal with Windsurf CEO Varun Mohan, who is of Indian origin, indicating its own efforts to reinforce its AI talent pool in response to mounting attrition.
Talent Shuffle Amid Tech Layoffs Ironically, Microsoft’s AI hiring spree comes amid widespread layoffs across the tech sector, including Microsoft itself. In 2025, the company cut over 9,000 jobs, affecting major divisions like Xbox, in a bid to streamline operations and integrate AI-driven efficiencies. Analysts estimate that up to 70% of critical teams have been impacted by job cuts in the last two years across major tech firms.
The optics of hiring AI stars from rival companies while downsizing legacy teams hasn’t gone unnoticed. Some internal critics are questioning the company’s direction and whether the talent reshuffle reflects a long-term vision or short-term hype.
