Google DeepMind announced on March 12, 2026, that its new London headquarters in King's Cross will be named "Platform 37," honoring both the area's railway heritage and the historic "Move 37" from AlphaGo's 2016 match against world champion Lee Sedol. The announcement connects DeepMind's current expansion to one of AI's most celebrated breakthroughs.
Move 37 Demonstrated AI's Creative Potential in 2016
"Move 37" refers to a pivotal moment during the March 2016 match between AlphaGo and Lee Sedol in Game 2. On the 37th turn, AlphaGo made an unconventional move that initially appeared to be a mistake but proved brilliant, ultimately contributing to the AI's victory. The move shocked professional Go players worldwide because it demonstrated that AI could discover strategies beyond human intuition and centuries of accumulated Go knowledge.
DeepMind's full announcement stated: "The name honors both the surrounding area's transport heritage and 'Move 37' – the critical moment where our AI system AlphaGo showed it could find novel solutions humans hadn't considered." The dual meaning connects the King's Cross area's significant railway history with AI's breakthrough moment.
Building Name Reinforces DeepMind's London Identity
The naming choice reflects DeepMind's commitment to its London roots despite being owned by Google. King's Cross, with its major rail stations and historical connections to London's railway network, makes "Platform" a natural reference to the neighborhood. The decision to name a major facility after a specific AI achievement also positions the building as a symbol of AI innovation and the company's research legacy.
AlphaGo's Techniques Continue Advancing AI Research
The Platform 37 announcement came just two days after DeepMind celebrated the 10-year anniversary of AlphaGo on March 10, 2026. Demis Hassabis, DeepMind's co-founder and CEO, marked the occasion by noting: "Ten years after AlphaGo, we're still building on its foundations to advance AI. The techniques pioneered have helped us prove mathematical statements and are now assisting the scientific community in making new discoveries."
This statement highlights how AlphaGo's reinforcement learning and neural network techniques have extended beyond game-playing into scientific research, including protein structure prediction with AlphaFold and mathematical theorem proving.
Key Takeaways
- Google DeepMind's new London headquarters in King's Cross will be called "Platform 37," announced March 12, 2026
- The name references AlphaGo's "Move 37" from the 2016 match against Lee Sedol, where the AI demonstrated creative problem-solving beyond human intuition
- "Platform" also honors the King's Cross area's significant railway and transport heritage
- The naming choice reinforces DeepMind's London identity and positions the building as a symbol of AI innovation
- AlphaGo's techniques continue influencing DeepMind's current work in mathematical proofs and scientific discovery 10 years after the historic match