Iris.ai CEO warns DeepMind that its new research restrictions will threaten AI innovation.
Google DeepMind’s reported clampdown of sharing research will stifle AI Innovation, warns Iris.ai’s CEO, one of Europe’s leading startups. The UK-based lab tightened its rules for releasing AI studies. the Financial Timereported this week. The newspaper reported that the company had introduced stricter vetting, and added bureaucracy to make it harder for researchersto publish their research. Sources said that the changes were made to protect the company’s edge in AI.
DeepMind, acquired by Google in 2014 has been a leader for computer science breakthroughs for many years. In recent years however, the lab faced increased competition from the likes OpenAI and DeepSeek. The company is reportedly building new barriers to protect its innovations and reputation under increasing pressure to stay on top.
These new restrictions have alarmed Anita Schjoll Abildgaard, co-founder of Iris.ai, a Norwegian startup that is developing an AI-powered science engine. She is concerned that DeepMind’s restrictions could hinder technological advancements.
She said that DeepMind’s decision marked the end of an openness and collaboration era in AI research.
Impact on ai
At first glance, the changes at DeepMind might appear to be beneficial for other AI laboratories. The company’s groundbreaking innovations and huge citation counts have overshadowed the other researchers in the area, who could receive a greater share of the spotlight. Abildgaard warns that the negative effects will outweigh any benefits.
She said that researchers from all industries would have less access to DeepMind’s impressive work. She cited the example of DeepMind AlphaFold as a system which predicts protein structures with remarkable accuracy. The software was hailed as a solution to biology’s greatest mysteries, and has the potential to fuel countless advancements, from discovering new drug to tackling climate changes. Abildgaard stated that it was difficult to imagine projects of such importance being released with such ease under this new directive.
She warned that the impacts could be severe. She urged AI companies, in response, to increase their commitment to transparency. She said that Europe has one of the world’s most fertile open source research communities. “As DeepMind turns inwards, smaller communities can differentiate themselves by embracing collaborative research.” Tickets for the event are now available. Use the code TNWXMEDIA2025 to get 30% off.
