Microsoft Expands AI Team with Google DeepMind Hires Amid Job Cuts

Microsoft has been hiring top engineers from Alphabet's DeepMind, including former Google veterans, to expand its AI team and supercharge its Copilot products. The hiring spree comes despite the company's announcement of 9,000 layoffs globally earlier this month. Microsoft is competing with other tech giants, including Meta and Google, in the battle for AI expertise.

Microsoft has been actively recruiting top engineers from Alphabet's DeepMind, including former Google veterans, to bolster its AI team and enhance its Copilot products. This hiring spree comes amidst the company's recent announcement of 9,000 layoffs globally [1]. Microsoft is intensifying its efforts to compete with other tech giants, such as Meta and Google, in the battle for AI expertise.

Microsoft's aggressive recruitment drive has seen the company hire nearly two dozen AI experts from Google DeepMind, led by Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman. Notable figures such as Amar Subramanya, Adam Sadovsky, Sonal Gupta, and Jonas Rothfuss have joined Microsoft's AI team, bringing extensive experience and expertise in developing advanced AI technologies like the Gemini assistant [2].

This strategic move is part of a broader trend where tech megacaps are investing heavily in AI talent. Microsoft's new hires come as the company realigns its resources to focus on AI investments and compete in the high-stakes AI market. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has noted that Meta offered its employees $100 million signing bonuses to secure top talent [2]. Similarly, Google acquired AI coding startup Windsurf in a $2.4 billion deal [2].

Microsoft's new AI hires are joining the software company's AI group, led by Suleyman, who reports to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. Suleyman's background includes co-founding DeepMind, which Google acquired in 2014, and later running AI startup Inflection before joining Microsoft [2].

This hiring spree aligns with Microsoft's broader initiative to integrate AI more deeply into its products and services. The company recently launched an AI-powered data lake as part of its Microsoft Sentinel platform, aimed at helping cybersecurity professionals manage and protect their organizations' data [3].

The ongoing talent war in the AI sector is driving salaries to unprecedented levels. According to Layoffs.fyi, over 60,000 tech workers have been laid off in the first half of 2025, with companies like Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Meta, and Intel leading the way [1]. Meanwhile, top AI researchers are commanding salaries as high as $284,000 per year, excluding bonuses and stock options [1].

In contrast to the aggressive recruitment strategies of companies like Microsoft and Meta, some tech giants are taking a more measured approach to AI development. Apple, for instance, has chosen to integrate AI into its operating system without resorting to mass layoffs, focusing on internal resources and attracting top talent from other companies [1].

Microsoft's aggressive recruitment from Google DeepMind is a clear indication of the company's commitment to strengthening its AI capabilities. This move is part of a broader trend in the tech industry where companies are realigning their resources to compete in the high-stakes AI market, despite the ongoing wave of mass layoffs.

References:
[1] https://www.nationthailand.com/blogs/business/tech/40052679
[2] https://www.cnbc.com/2025/07/22/microsoft-google-deepmind-ai-talent.html
[3] https://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-just-upgraded-sentinel-with-an-ai-powered-data-lake-heres-how-it-works/