Jefferies Defends Alphabet After AI Departures
Yahoo Finance ·
Jefferies Defends Alphabet After AI Departures Faizan Farooque Thu, June 25, 2026 at 10:38 AM EDT 1 min read GOOGL GOOG This article first appeared on GuruFocus . Google-parent Alphabet ( NASDAQ:GOOG ) is facing fresh questions about AI talent losses, but Jefferies says the recent departures are noise rather than a real threat to the Google investment thesis. Analyst Brent Thill said Alphabet still has one of the longest AI build histories in the industry and a deep research bench, with about 194,668 employees as of Q1 2026, up 5% year over year. He argued that recent exits should be seen as part of a broader AI talent war, not proof that Google is falling behind. Is GOOG fairly valued? Test your thesis with our free DCF calculator. The comments come after Nobel Prize winner John Jumper left Google DeepMind for Anthropic, while Noam Shazeer moved to OpenAI and DeepMind researcher Lun Wang exited in May. Thill acknowledged that Gemini has tracked more slowly than some frontier AI labs, but said it does not need to be the best model to strengthen Alphabet's broader business. For investors, the point is distribution. Jefferies said Google's reach across Search, Cloud, and Workspace, including 5 apps with 3 billion users, plus its TPU cost advantage, keeps the AI story intact. Thill kept a Buy rating and $445 price target.
AI 시장 분석
Jefferies views the departure of DeepMind researchers from Alphabet(GOOG) as part of AI talent movement and does not see it as a decisive threat that undermines the investment thesis. Brent Thill emphasized Alphabet's long history of AI development, a workforce of approximately 194,668 employees, broad deployment across Search, Cloud, and Workspace, and a TPU cost advantage as grounds for long-term competitiveness. He did acknowledge that Gemini's development pace is slower than some leading research labs. Jefferies said deployment and infrastructure advantages are more important drivers of earnings and growth, and maintained a Buy rating and a $445 price target.
상승 영향
- AI — Alphabet is advantaged in commercializing and scaling AI services due to its long research history, a large research workforce, and TPU cost advantage.
- Search & Digital Advertising — Google Search and the 5 apps' 30억 user base are advantageous for ad monetization and highly efficient targeting when applying AI.
- Cloud Infrastructure — TPU cost advantage and integrated Cloud services are positive for attracting large customers and expanding AI-driven cloud revenue.
- Enterprise Software (including Workspace — Embedding AI into enterprise products such as Workspace can improve usability and increase subscription-based revenue, contributing to earnings stability.
- AI Startups/Competitors — Competitors such as Anthropic and OpenAI could boost research capabilities and product development speed by hiring DeepMind talent.
하락 영향
- AI Talent Market (hiring competition) — The departures of key researchers like John Jumper and Noam Shazeer increase the risk of a slower long-term innovation pace due to loss of core personnel.
- Cutting-edge Model Competition — Assessments that Gemini's development is slower than some leading research labs could negatively affect technological leadership and market confidence.
AI가 생성한 분석으로 투자 자문이 아닙니다.
DYAX Investor Sentiment
Bullish (Long) 54% · Bearish (Short) 46%
527 participants
Related News
- First Trust Consumer Staples AlphaDEX Fund declares quarterly distribution of $0.2984
- SpaceX credit swaps begin trading after landmark bond sale
- First Trust Consumer Discretionary AlphaDEX Fund declares quarterly distribution of $0.0979
- First Trust Large Cap Value AlphaDEX Fund declares quarterly distribution of $0.3389
- Cathie Wood Buys $22 Million of This Tumbling Tech Stock
- First Trust Mid Cap Core AlphaDEX Fund declares quarterly distribution of $0.2660