Android Engineering Veteran Dave Burke Steps Down to Pursue AI/Bio Projects

Dave Burke, a prominent figure in Android's engineering leadership for the past 14 years, has decided to step down from his role as VP. However, Burke isn't leaving Alphabet entirely. He will be transitioning to explore new opportunities within the company, focusing on projects that combine Artificial Intelligence (AI) and bioengineering.

During his tenure, Burke played a key role in shaping Android's evolution. He was instrumental in the development of Nexus and Pixel phones, bringing Chrome to mobile devices, launching Android TV, and spearheading efforts to create developer tools.

Burke's departure comes amidst a year of restructuring at Alphabet, which included employee layoffs and departmental shifts. In January, over 1,000 employees were let go, including most of the AR hardware team. Then, in April, Google merged its hardware and Android teams with the goal of integrating AI across all its devices. This move led to leadership changes, with Hiroshi Lockheimer (formerly head of Android, Chrome, and ChromeOS) transitioning to new roles within Alphabet, and Rick Osterloh (SVP of devices and services) taking the helm of the newly formed division. Sameer Samat, who previously reported to Lockheimer, became the president of Android Ecosystem.

Burke will continue to serve as an advisor while he explores new ventures. In a social media post, he expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to have helped build "the biggest OS on the planet" and hinted at his future interests in AI and bioengineering.

A more detailed explanation was provided in a letter to his colleagues, also shared publicly on LinkedIn. There, Burke revealed his passion for leveraging AI to accelerate drug discovery, particularly for pediatric cancers – a cause close to his heart. He concluded by mentioning his collaboration with Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai to identify potential roles that align with his goals.