Google is intensifying its focus on AI development by consolidating key teams within its AI organization. As of January 2025, the company has moved the AI Studio team and the team responsible for developing the API for Gemini models under the umbrella of Google DeepMind. This restructuring is part of Google’s effort to accelerate the pipeline between AI research and developer tools.

Logan Kilpatrick, head of product for Google’s AI Studio developer platform, shared this news on social media, emphasizing that the merger will bolster Google’s ongoing collaboration and speed up AI innovation. The decision to merge these teams into Google DeepMind is seen as a way to bring cutting-edge AI research closer to developers, facilitating the quicker rollout of advanced tools and services.

Google DeepMind, which was formed in 2023 through the merger of Google DeepMind and Google Brain, is already known for driving some of the company’s most groundbreaking AI products. With this new restructuring, Google hopes to further streamline its AI research and development processes, especially in light of the growing competition in the AI industry.

Jaana Dogan, an engineer on one of the teams that will now operate under DeepMind, expressed optimism about the changes. She pointed out that the reorganization will make it easier for DeepMind to share its innovations with the public, offering better APIs, open-source tools, and more. This shift aims to expand the availability of AI-powered services and platforms in ways that were not possible before.

In recent months, Google has moved several of its AI-focused teams to DeepMind. This includes the research, responsible AI, and model teams that have been crucial to the development of the Gemini AI model. Gemini, which powers Google’s latest chatbot, has seen strong momentum in the market, but CEO Sundar Pichai has acknowledged that Google needs to close the gap with its competitors in the AI space. He has stressed that scaling Gemini for consumer use will be a primary focus for the company in 2025.

Pichai's statement from a December all-hands meeting highlighted the urgency Google feels in its pursuit of AI leadership. He noted that the company is aware of the stakes and is determined to move faster to establish a stronger position in the competitive AI landscape.

This latest restructuring within Google demonstrates the company’s commitment to accelerating its AI development while ensuring that its research remains closely tied to the developer community. As the AI market continues to evolve rapidly, Google’s efforts to combine its internal resources could help it stay ahead of its competitors.

SOURCE: TECHCRUNCH | PHOTO: COINGEEK