Google names Josh Woodward as new Gemini team leader after Sissie Hsiao steps down

Google has appointed Josh Woodward, current head of Google Labs, as the leader of Gemini team with Sissie Hsiao stepping down with immediate effect. Announcing Woodward's new responsibility, Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis said that the move will “sharpen our focus on the next evolution of the Gemini app.”'

This leadership change comes as Google seeks to further develop its Gemini AI model and integrate it more effectively into its products. Woodward will retain his position at Google Labs while taking on this new responsibility. Hsiao expressed optimism for the future of Gemini under Woodward's leadership. She will be taking time off before returning to Google in a different role.

Hsiao, a 19-year Google veteran, was initially tasked with building Google's chatbot in 2022 in response to the rise of ChatGPT. This chatbot evolved into what is now known as Bard, later becoming unified under the Gemini brand.


Hsiao described her time leading the Gemini team as “Chapter 1” of the Bard story, expressing confidence in Woodward's leadership for “Chapter 2.”

The development of Gemini has been a gradual process, with the model slowly improving and being integrated into various Google products. The recent release of Gemini 2.5 Pro, while still experimental, has shown promising results in benchmarks and user feedback.

Woodward, in his role at Google Labs, oversaw the launch of Notebook LM, a generative AI tool that analyzes user-provided data. Notebook LM can generate “podcast”-style conversations based on user data.

This capability was recently integrated into the Gemini Deep Research tool, a demo of Google’s Project Mariner.

Woodward’s team also worked on Project Mariner, an experimental AI agent that can control the Chrome browser.

Google views agentic systems as a significant area for future AI development. Bringing Woodward's experience in this area to the Gemini team aligns with this strategic direction.

Current Gemini integrations in Google products primarily consist of adding chat windows for querying Gemini about content within apps like Drive or Gmail.

Woodward's appointment suggests Google may be looking to replicate the success of Notebook LM by creating new AI-powered products. Google may find users more receptive to generative AI within new experiences rather than integrated into existing apps.