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Alphabet's Eric Schmidt Steps Down as Executive Chairman

Schmidt will remain on Alphabet's board, and also serve as a technical advisor to the company.

Michael Kan
 & Michael Kan Principal Reporter

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Eric Schmidt is stepping down as Alphabet's executive chairman and will serve as a technical advisor going forward.

"The Alphabet structure is working well, and Google and the Other Bets are thriving," Schmidt said in a statement on Thursday. "In recent years, I've been spending a lot of my time on science and technology issues, and philanthropy, and I plan to expand that work."

As a technical advisor, Schmidt will help Alphabet on science and technology issues. He'll also remain on the company's board.

Schmidt joined Alphabet in 2001 when it was known as Google, becoming the company's CEO for the next decade. During that time, the search engine provider transformed into one of the world's leading internet giants.

Google founder Larry Page later took over as company CEO, while Schmidt assumed his new role as executive chairman. In that position, Schmidt focused on external affairs, such as partnerships with other businesses and government outreach.

Since then, Google has become Alphabet, and is investing in "other bets" including self-driving technology. Lately, Schmidt has also been publicly speaking about the importance of artificial intelligence, and the need to properly develop the technology for the benefit of all.

With Schmidt stepping down, Alphabet plans on appointing a non-executive chairman in the future.

About Our Expert

Michael Kan

Michael Kan

Principal Reporter

My Experience

I've been a journalist for over 15 years. I got my start as a schools and cities reporter in Kansas City and joined PCMag in 2017, where I cover satellite internet services, cybersecurity, PC hardware, and more. I'm currently based in San Francisco, but previously spent over five years in China, covering the country's technology sector.

Since 2020, I've covered the launch and explosive growth of SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet service, writing 600+ stories on availability and feature launches, but also the regulatory battles over the expansion of satellite constellations, fights with rival providers like AST SpaceMobile and Amazon, and the effort to expand into satellite-based mobile service. I've combed through FCC filings for the latest news and driven to remote corners of California to test Starlink's cellular service.

I also cover cyber threats, from ransomware gangs to the emergence of AI-based malware. In 2024 and 2025, the FTC forced Avast to pay consumers $16.5 million for secretly harvesting and selling their personal information to third-party clients, as revealed in my joint investigation with Motherboard.

I also cover the PC graphics card market. Pandemic-era shortages led me to camp out in front of a Best Buy to get an RTX 3000. I'm now following how the AI-driven memory shortage is impacting the entire consumer electronics market. I'm always eager to learn more, so please jump in the comments with feedback and send me tips.

The Best Tech I've Had:

  • My first video game console: a Nintendo Famicom
  • I loved my Sega Saturn despite PlayStation's popularity.
  • The iPod Video I received as a gift in college
  • Xbox 360 FTW
  • The Galaxy Nexus was the first smartphone I was proud to own.
  • The PC desktop I built in 2013, which still works to this day.

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