Google is taking significant steps to accelerate its artificial intelligence (AI) development by streamlining its teams focused on building AI services, platforms, and tools. The tech giant is folding its AI Studio developer platform team and the team behind the API for its Gemini series of models into Google DeepMind, its AI research and development (R&D) division.

This move, announced by Logan Kilpatrick, who leads product for Google's AI Studio, is designed to "double down" on the already deep collaboration between the teams and accelerate the research-to-developer pipeline. Kilpatrick emphasized that the mission for the team remains the same, indicating a continued focus on driving innovation in AI development.

Jaana Dogan, an engineer on one of the teams moving to Google DeepMind, expressed excitement about the reshuffling, stating that it will enable DeepMind's work to become "publicly available in ways that weren't possible before." She hinted at a slew of upcoming developments, including "better APIs, more open source, more tools," and more.

This integration is the latest in a series of moves by Google to bolster its AI development capabilities. The company had previously moved the team behind its Gemini-powered chatbot, also called Gemini, to DeepMind. Google CEO Sundar Pichai had stated that the reorganization was intended to "keep increasing the pace of progress" of Google's AI development.

In recent months, Google has also transferred its models, research, and responsible AI teams to DeepMind. This strategic consolidation of AI-focused teams is likely driven by the company's ambition to establish a leadership position in the AI space. In a December all-hands meeting, Pichai acknowledged that Google has "some work to do in 2025 to close the gap" and emphasized the need to move faster as a company, given the high stakes in AI development.

The integration of these teams into Google DeepMind is expected to have significant implications for the development of AI tools and services. By accelerating the research-to-developer pipeline, Google aims to bring more innovative AI solutions to the market, potentially disrupting various industries and transforming the way businesses operate.

As Google continues to ramp up its AI development efforts, the tech industry will be watching closely to see how these moves impact the company's competitiveness and the broader AI landscape. With its sights set on establishing a leadership position in AI, Google is poised to make significant strides in the coming year.