Jeff Dean, Google’s chief scientist and one of the central figures in modern AI infrastructure, is leaving the company after nearly 27 years to co-found Discovery Loop, a startup whose stated goal is to automate the experimental loops of scientific research itself. The departure was announced on August 5, 2026 as part of a broader reshuffle of Google’s AI leadership, with the company confirming it will back the new venture as a founding investor and Cloud partner. Dean is not leaving alone…