Google I/O 2025: AI Takes Center Stage with Gemini Updates and Android Innovations

Google I/O 2025: What to expect, including updates to Gemini and Android 16 | TechCrunch

Google I/O, Google's biggest developer conference of the year, is nearly upon us. Scheduled for May 20 to 21 at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, I/O will showcase product announcements from across Google's portfolio. Expect plenty of news relating to Android, Chrome, Google Search, YouTube, and -- of course -- Google's AI-powered chatbot, Gemini. Earlier this week, Google hosted a separate event dedicated to Android updates: The Android Show. During it, the company announced new ways to find lost Android phones and other items, additional device-level features for its Advanced Protection program, security tools to protect against scams and theft, and a new design language called Material 3 Expressive. Here's what else you can expect. AI is the tech du jour, and Google, like its rivals, has been investing heavily in it. A shoo-in for I/O is a new addition (or several) to Google's flagship Gemini family of AI models. Leaks over the past few weeks suggest that an updated Gemini Ultra model is on the way, Gemini Ultra being Google's top-of-the-line Gemini offering. With this upgraded Gemini Ultra may come a pricier Gemini subscription. Google offers a single premium tier, Gemini Advanced ($20 per month), to unlock additional capabilities in its Gemini chatbot, which is powered by the company's Gemini models. But Google may soon launch two new plans, Premium Plus and Premium Pro. It's not yet clear what benefits might be attached and how these plans might be priced relative to Gemini Advanced. Google will almost certainly talk about Astra, its wide-ranging effort to build AI apps and "agents" for real-time, multimodal understanding. Also probably on the agenda is Project Mariner, Google's AI "agents" that can navigate and take action across the web on a user's behalf. Folks on X spotted references to "Computer Use" in the code for Google's AI Studio developer platform, which could well pertain to Mariner. Going by the official I/O schedule, Google will have plenty to discuss following The Android Show and I/O keynote addresses. The schedule lists sessions dedicated to Chrome and Google Cloud, Google Play (the Android app store), Android development tools, and Gemma, Google's collection of "open" AI models. Last year, Google unveiled a few AI-themed surprises at I/O, including a set of models fine-tuned for education applications called LearnLM. An upgrade to Google's viral podcast-generating NotebookLM could be one such surprise. Leaked code reveals a "Video Overviews" tool that presumably would create video summaries, most likely leveraging Google's Veo 2 video-generating model.

Google I/O 2025: How to Watch and What to Expect

Google I/O 2025 takes place on May 20 and 21 with Google's big keynote happening on day 1. We expect Big G to talk about its myriad innovations across its ever-expanding portfolio of products -- almost certainly with a huge focus on AI every step of the way. If we collectively cross our fingers, promise to be good and eat all our vegetables then we may even be treated to a sneak peek at upcoming hardware. Read more: Android 16: Everything Google Announced at the Android Show Google also hosted a totally separate event that focused solely on Android. The Android Show: I/O Edition saw the wrappers come off Android 16, with insights into the new Material 3 Expressive interface, updates to security and a focus on Gemini and how it'll work on a variety of other devices. By breaking out Android news into its own virtual event, Google frees itself to spend more time during the I/O keynote to talk about Gemini, Deep Mind, Android XR and Project Astra. It's going to be a jam-packed event, so here's how you can watch I/O 2025 as it happens and what you can look forward to. Google I/O proper kicks off with a keynote taking place on May 20, 10 a.m. PDT (1 p.m. EDT, 6 p.m. BST). It'll almost certainly be available to stream online on Google's own YouTube channel, although a holding video is yet to be available. There's no live link on the I/O website yet, either, though you can use the handy links to add the event to your calendar of choice. Expect links to a livestream to be available closer to the day. Little chat about Android 16: As Google gave Android 16 its own outing already, it's likely that it won't be mentioned all that much during I/O. In fact at last year's event, Android was barely mentioned, while uses of the term "AI" went well over a hundred. Android XR: Google didn't talk much about Android XR during the Android show, focusing instead on the purely phone-based updates to the platform. We expected to hear more about the company's latest foray into mixed-reality headsets in partnership with Samsung and its Project Moohan headset, so it's possible that this is being saved for I/O proper. Gemini: With Android being spun out into its own separate event, Google is evidently clearing the way for I/O to focus on everything else the company does. AI will continue to dominate the conversation at I/O, just as it did last year (though hopefully Google can make it more understandable) with updates to many of its AI platforms expected to be announced. Gemini is expected to receive a variety of update announcements, including more information on its latest 2.5 Pro update which boasts various improvements to its reasoning abilities, and in particular to its helpfulness for coding applications. Expect lots of mentions of Google's other AI-based products, too, including DeepMind, LearnLM and Project Astra. Let's just hope Google has figured out how to make this information make any kind of sense. Beyond AI, Google may talk about updates to its other products including GMail, Chrome and the Play Store, although whether these updates are big enough to be discussed during the keynote rather than as part of the developer-focused sessions following I/O's opening remains to be seen.

Google I/O will be an AI show

Android is getting its biggest visual update in years, and rather than unveiling it for the first time at its big annual developer conference, Google announced Material Three Expressive at a pre-show event broadcast on YouTube the week before. If a major design language shift for the world's most popular mobile OS doesn't qualify as a headliner at I/O, then what does? You guessed it: AI. We expect Google to talk all about Gemini during I/O, which kicks off on Tuesday, and how it's improving it and bringing it to products in areas that consumers will see even more. If you've paid attention to the past couple of I/O keynotes, this won't be a surprise. Android was barely mentioned in 2023, and CEO Sundar Pichai said AI so many times that we lost count. Last year's keynote was more of the same, except that Pichai saved us some trouble and counted mentions of AI for us. All of this reflects the very obvious, inescapable shift that Google and every other tech company have made recently to pump out AI features at a breakneck pace. But in a way, less news about the newest Android OS at I/O is actually a good thing. Google has made a big effort in recent years to bring new features to more phones -- even if they aren't running the latest OS. Companies like Samsung and Motorola roll out new OS versions on their own schedules, so adding new features through Google Play and app updates means they'll reach people faster. One key criticism of Android in previous years was slow feature rollouts that often entirely failed to reach many users. Google also adopted a new schedule this year for Android 16, moving to a major release in Q2 and a minor release in Q4, which should help more devices take advantage of new features. If this year's I/O really is an AI show, then there's a risk it's going to feel like one we've seen before. The past two years of software and hardware from seemingly every consumer tech company have been non-stop AI pep rallies. We've seen a lot of previews of features that are supposedly just around the corner. Then, when it's time to actually ship them... well, ask Apple how that's going. To Google's credit, it has certainly shipped lots of AI features. The company has a lot of surfaces for it, too -- from the XR platform we're expecting to hear more about (that's the glasses it has teased several times), to Chrome, Gmail, and Meet. There's a lot of ground to cover. I get the feeling, though, that we're reaching a tipping point, one where promises of all the time and effort that AI will save us are wearing a little thin. But if nothing else, I appreciate that Google went out of its way to give Android time to shine before the big show -- rather than relegating it to a handful of mentions between AI feature updates.

Google I/O 2025: All eyes on AI and Gemini

If you're ready for a break from artificial intelligence, Google I/O won't be your safe haven. The annual developer conference -- which starts next week in Mountain View, Calif. -- and also offers a large virtual option, is expected to focus heavily on Google's latest developments in AI, especially its Gemini family of products. Google held The Android Show: I/O Edition last week where it unveiled Android 16's new Material 3 Expressive design language and Gemini AI integration for Android Auto and Wear OS. Expect further Android news during I/O. This could include more details on Android 16's features, potentially including new privacy enhancements, scam-detection features, and updates to the Find Hub. But there's no doubt Gemini will be the star of the show. Following Google's recent developer preview of Gemini 2.5 Pro, the company is likely to demonstrate significant performance gains, new applications, and expanded availability of its flagship AI.

How to watch Google I/O 2025

It's still May, which means it's still Google time. After showing off Android's new look at The Android Show, the company still has its developer conference to check off the list. Google I/O 2025 is scheduled to start on May 20 at 1PM ET / 10AM PT, and Engadget will be covering it live, via a liveblog and on-the-ground reporting from our very own Karissa Bell. Google included some Gemini news in The Android Show -- the AI is coming to Wear OS, Android Auto and Google TV -- but artificial intelligence should still be the focus of the company's upcoming keynote. too. Expect news about how Google is using AI in search to be featured prominently, along with some other surprises, like the possible debut of an AI-powered Pinterest alternative. The company made it clear during its Android showcase that Android XR, its mixed reality platform, will also be featured during I/O. That could include the mixed reality headset Google and Samsung are collaborating on, or, as teased at the end of The Android Show, smart glasses with Google's Project Astra built-in. To find out for yourself, you can watch Google's keynote in the embedded livestream above or on the company's YouTube channel. The event starts at 1PM ET on May 20 and the company plans to hold breakout sessions through May 21 on a variety of different topics relevant to developers.

Google I/O 2025 preview: Gemini AI, Android XR and everything else to expect

When Google CEO Sundar Pichai steps on stage at the Google I/O 2025 developer conference next week to deliver his opening remarks, expect two letters to dominate the discussion -- AI. Artificial Intelligence takes up much of the focus at Google these days, with AI features arriving across multiple products, AI-focused projects capturing much of the public's attention and predictions on the future of AI taking up a lot of the company's public pronouncements. And that's going to be on full display at this year's Google I/O, which gets underway Tuesday (May 20) and runs through Wednesday. In fact, the I/O keynote delivered by Pichar and other Google executives to open the conference Tuesday figures to be so AI-focused that Android -- once the star of these kind of events -- has been shunted off to the side. Google already gave us an overview on the state of its mobile software this past week during a separate Android Show event that streamed online. You want an in-person audience? You had best be about AI these days. This year's AI-heavy Google I/O will be a welcome event for anyone excited about the prospect of artificial intelligence, particular if the keynote features Google's trademark demos of new technology showcasing just what the company introduces. But if you're lukewarm about the tech industry's fascination with AI -- or skeptical about the promised benefits -- Tuesday's presentation has the prospect of seeming like an interminable slog. And I'm afraid I find myself on the latter side of things. Perhaps years of AI hype have left me jaded, particularly because I test a lot of mobile AI features on phones that promise to be game-changers only to turn out to be anything but. Or maybe all the very real advances in AI have yet to translate into something that changes the way I interact with the devices around me. But for me, AI demos are starting to take on the feel of a night out a particularly underwhelming theme restaurant -- it's a meal with a lot of sizzle, but not much steak. There's also the creeping suspicion that companies are pouring these resources into AI not to make things better for you and me, but to improve their own bottom line. Certainly, news that Microsoft is cutting 2,000 jobs because it's increasing turning to AI to handle tasks like coding does not put my mind at ease about the motivations going on here. It doesn't have to be that way. My hope is that amid all of the AI demos, announcements and unveilings, someone at Google takes the time not just to explain the "what," but also the "how" and "why" of the things it's talking about. Yes, you've just developed an AI model that will speed up a particular task or add an AI agent to a product that didn't have one. But how that ultimately benefit the people using your product? Why do I need this particular advance when I've gotten along perfectly well without it? If Google I/O tackles that part of the presentation, then all the AI demos will be a lot more worthwhile. And if not, well, I can't imagine feeling any more jaded than I do now. In the meantime, here's a look at how you can follow along with Google I/O and what you're likely to see if you do. Google i/O 2025 starts this Tuesday, May 20 and runs two days. As Google has done for the last few years, it's hosting the developer conference at the Shoreline Amphitheatre, an outdoor venue that's a short stroll from the company's Mountain View, Calif., headquarters. Google kicks things off on Tuesday with a keynote that starts at 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT / 6 p.m. BST. You can watch a live stream of the keynote along with selected Google I/O sessions from the event website. Google also has a YouTube live stream set up for the I/O keynote. In addition to the main keynote on Tuesday, there's also a developer keynote slated for 4:30 p.m. ET / 1:30 p.m. PT / 9:30 p.m BST. This event usually tackles the main event in great detail -- some times in eye-crossing levels of detail if you're not a developer -- though there can be additional announcements on developer-centric additions to existing Google products, too. Google is famous for peppering its I/O presentations with a lot of surprise announcements and demos. Many times, I've been in the audience at an I/O keynote as Google shows off something like a voice assistant that can place restaurant reservations on your behalf or AI-powered photo editing tools that no one saw coming ahead of time. Project Astra was one of those announcements from last year's I/O. It's a universal AI assistant that can see what you see while acting on voice inputs on the same time. It's initially rolling out as part of Gemini Live, but it's pretty clear that it's going to appear in other future products like smart glasses. To that end, I'd expect some sort of Project Astra update and demo during the I/O keynote. And this is one time where Google has given us some strong hints as to what we should expect -- how else to explain the end of last week's Android Show where Android chief Sameer Samat teased exciting demos to come at I/O while very pointed putting on a pair of sunglasses? The AI news won't stop with Project Astra. Earlier this month, Google released Gemini 2.5 Pro Preview (I/O Edition) as an update to the Gemini AI model. It's a pretty developer-centric release with an emphasis on coding and building interactive web apps, which seems like catnip for the folks attending I/O. I'd expect more on this particular release along with a raft of other Gemini-related announcements. A few days ago, The Information reported that Google has been showing employees an AI agent aimed at software development. Specifically, the AI tool is designed to identify bugs and security flaws in software. Again, this seems like something that would interest I/O attendees, though The Information said that it's unclear how close this agent is to being ready for public consumption. Don't expect all mentions of Android to be banished from I/O. The Android show spent very little time on Android XR, the platform announced late last year that Google has been developing with contributions from Samsung and Qualcomm. I'd imagine we're going to hear more about Android XR and the products it could run on. In fact, Samsung has already teased such a product -- a headset called Project Moohan. Also shown off at the end of last year, Project Moohan has been light on details up until this point, though a 2025 release date has essentially been confirmed. More concrete details on Project Moohan would seem to be more appropriate for a Samsung event, but I wouldn't rule out an appearance or a demo at I/O. More to the point, I'd expect some details on other products using Android XR, whether that's headsets or smart glasses. And given last week's news that Gemini would find its way onto more products, a demo of how an AI-powered assistant would work with an Android XR-based device seems very much in the cards. In the same article where The Information reported on a potential AI agent for software development, the outlet also claimed that Google could show off a would-be rival to Pinterest at I/O. The Google version apparently under development lets people look up images for design inspiration and save them to folders. While last week's Android event discussed interface changes coming to Android 16, it didn't reveal a specific release date for the software update. Google's Samat did indicate an update would be coming to Pixel devices in June, though it's possible Google might have more to say about its Android 16 launch schedule at I/O. One thing I'm not expecting at Google I/O 2025 is any sort of hardware announcement. While Google has used its developer conference to launch new phones previously, it's already released the Pixel 9a, while the Pixel 10 flagships aren't expected to arrive until the end of summer.

4 Gemini announcements I can't wait to hear at Google I/O this year

Google I/O is upon us next week, and as always, there's sure to be an avalanche of new products, features, and upgrades unveiled amid the hoopla on stage. Google Gemini and its many AI offshoots will certainly be a part of them. Confirmed previews and rumors of more abound, but there are some that I'm particularly keen to hear. I've put together a set of highlights I anticipate coming from Google as it shares the next stage of its plans for Gemini. Project Mariner is Google's answer to the growing prevalence of AI agents like Manus and Browser Use. Rather than simply surfacing links, Mariner is designed to interact with the web the way a human does, using an invisible mouse and keyboard to fill in forms, find things within websites, and click the necessary buttons to complete tasks. Mariner might fill out your tax forms, book a trip, and send in any complaints you have to a company's customer service. Though not strictly Gemini, Google DeepMind's creation is very much part of the story of Gemini helping automate digital activities for people. In fact, Mariner is supposedly going to integrate with Gemini Advanced and Google Chrome. This would be especially impactful for people who manage repetitive admin tasks, navigate government or insurance websites, or simply want a more efficient way to handle online chores. Persistent memory is a constant, but usually an imperfectly realized dream of generative AI assistants. Google is expected to unveil an upgrade to Gemini's memory that will mean no longer needing to remind the AI of your preferences. Gemini could remember that you dislike morning meetings, prefer metric units, or always book aisle seats on flights. Like ChatGPT's memory system, Gemini is expected to both remember things from interactions with you as well as offer a custom instructions setting where you can manually add things you want it to remember. Of course, Google is likely to assure users that the persistent memory feature is opt-in and that it includes controls allowing users to view, edit, and delete what Gemini remembers. Imagen and Veo are Google's generative AI image and video creation tools, respectively. Google is expected to debut the latest versions of both at I/O. Imagen 4 is supposed to be much better at photorealistic images and matching the actual prompts. It should also be better at staying consistent in whatever style you request. Veo 3 is also going for a more consistent style from clip to clip. They'll also be integrated with Gemini for easy access to content creators, students, and really anyone who wants a quick picture or video. Gemini Gems, the customized and focused Gemini models any user can create, are useful for all kinds of activities. You can make your own motivational coach, a meal-planning nutritionist, or an art critic for your latest drawings. What you can't do right now is share them with other people. Gems are basically like the custom GPTs available from ChatGPT, except GPTs are shareable and findable in the GPT Store. Google is expected to match that and start allowing users to share their Gems with others. You might see everything from a classroom-specific tutoring Gem, tools for coding for different outlets, or just a bunch of Gems designed to recommend movies. And a Gem marketplace isn't just a benefit to users. Google would love to build up the community around Gemini like it has with apps on the Play Store. Shareable Gems might be the best gateway to that kind of community-driven ecosystem.

Google I/O 2025: 7 things we expect to see at the big event and 2 things we don't

We're just about ready for another Google I/O event, where Google shows off the major software updates it's been working on, and gives us an idea about what we can expect for the rest of the year. We also occasionally get hardware launches at these shows, but they don't happen often. The 2025 showcase promises to be a busy one, with notable updates across all of Google's flagship software and AI platforms. We've already been given a preview of a visual refresh for Android 16, but there's lots more to look forward to. Everything gets underway on Tuesday, May 20, with the event keynote presentation - which will include most of the big news updates - set for 10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm BST, which is Wednesday, May 21 13 at 3am AEST for Australia. Here's what you can expect to see, and what probably won't show up. You may have noticed, but Google is very much into its AI these days. We can expect Gemini AI apps and models to take top billing at Google I/O 2025, as Google tells us all about how beneficial AI is to all of our lives and how many millions of people are using AI inside Google's products. It's difficult to predict exactly what the Gemini announcements are going to entail, but smarter Gemini models and more features across the board are likely: including, perhaps, the image-to-video upgrade that's already shown up on Honor handsets. Ahead of I/O, we've already had news about Gemini heading to Google TV and Wear OS 6, too. We've known for some time that Google has some smart specs in the pipeline, based on XR technology - that's extended reality, which combines augmented reality and virtual reality into one platform. These XR glasses have already been shown off in public, though as yet we haven't been given any details, such as what they can do or how much they'll cost. That should change at Google I/O 2025, where Google and its partner Samsung are thought to be preparing a number of announcements - both about the XR specs (which will launch as rivals to the Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses), and about the larger and more capable XR device known as Project Moohan. Further to the AI announcements mentioned above, Google I/O 2025 should also be a showcase for the development of Project Astra: that's the next-level AI assistant that Google was actually showing off this time last year. It's AI that can 'see' the world and respond to prompts via voice, video, and more. We've previously seen some elements of Project Astra roll out to Gemini, but there's plenty more to come. Google's ultimate aim with Project Astra is to make assistant technologies that are able to respond to any kind of request, in real time, using natural language - and we're excited to see where the tech goes next. Android 16 has been in beta testing for months, and Google has already revealed some upgrades coming with the software update ahead of I/O. That doesn't mean we won't hear anything about the OS from the Mountain View stage, though, and there's probably more to come before the end of the show. Think behind-the-scenes improvements in terms of security and privacy, as well as more user-facing upgrades. Google may well take the opportunity of Google I/O 2025 to tell us about updates coming to big apps such as Gmail and Google Maps, too: we do of course see updates to these apps throughout the rest of the year as well, but sometimes major announcements are held back specifically for I/O. Several Wear OS 6 updates have been announced ahead of Google I/O 2025, and we'd expect to hear more about them at the actual event itself. We know that the wrist-based software is getting the latest Gemini AI app in the near future, and it's going to get a visual refresh to match the Material 3 Expressive overhaul for Android. Google I/O 2025 should bring some demos of Wear OS 6 in action, and - we're hoping - an official launch date (all we know so far is the update is going to show up in the next few months). With new Pixel and Galaxy watches expected in July and August of this year, Google will want to get the software in place. One of the last-minute rumors swirling around Google I/O 2025 is that we might see a Pinterest-like platform rolled out by Google, as per The Information. Google hasn't had much success in terms of social media apps, but it's been a while since it made any real efforts in this area, so we may hear something on May 20. According to sources, the new app will be based on image search results on Google, enabling users to collect together different pictures into collections, which can then be shared with other people. If something like this is in the pipeline, then Google I/O 2025 offers the perfect platform from which to announce it. Google Chrome is of course one of the flagship Google products, and we know it's going to be mentioned at I/O: there's a "what's new in Chrome" session scheduled for the event for developers to attend. While we haven't heard rumors of any major updates, lots of smaller tweaks and refinements are likely. Something we haven't seen yet, and which ties into what we've already talked about, is Gemini integration in Chrome: right now, it's only available in individual Google web apps. This could be something Google could be working on, though it also knows Chrome is under scrutiny for the extent to which it promotes Google's other apps and services. It's not unheard of for Google to unveil new hardware at the I/O events, but it's not common - these are primarily shows for developers and software engineers, and Google usually prefers to hold separate events to launch Pixel devices. There have been exceptions, including the introduction of the Google Pixel 7a at Google I/O 2023. However, with the Pixel 9a already out, and the Google Pixel 10 phones not expected to break cover until August, this should be a mostly hardware-free show. Google isn't shy about abandoning projects, and we won't be hearing anything about Google Assistant at I/O. It first appeared in 2016, nine years ago - but it's now very much on the way out as Google makes the switch to Gemini. Another product range that Google has unceremoniously discarded is its Chromecast line of streaming dongles, and we're not going to hear anything about them at the event next week. The future is all about the Google TV Streamer.

How to watch Google I/O 2025 live - tune in for the latest Gemini, Android 16 and Wear OS news

Hot on the heels of Google's Android Show, it's almost time for Google I/O 2025, where we expect to see not just more stuff about Android 16, but also various other software details - likely including a heavy dose of AI. This being a software-focused show we probably won't see the Google Pixel 10 or much other hardware, but there should still be lots to tune in for. The event kicks off on May 20, and below you'll find full details of when the keynote is, how to watch it, and exactly what Google is likely to show and talk about. Google I/O 2025 takes place over May 20 and May 21, but the main event is the Google keynote, which starts at 10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm BST, which is 3am on May 21 for those in the AEST time zone. The keynote will likely be around two hours long based on past form, and you'll be able to live stream it from Google's I/O website, and also on the Google YouTube channel. We've embedded the YouTube video below, so you can watch it without even leaving this page if you want - and if you click the 'Notify me' button on the video, you can get a notification when the event is about to start. If you can't tune in live, that video will still be available after the fact, and of course, we'll also be covering the event in full here on TechRadar. So head back to our site for all the announcements and our analysis during and after the keynote. Android is often a major focus at Google's annual I/O event, but last year it wasn't mentioned much - and this year, since Google chose to have a separate Android Show slightly before I/O. This means there's reason to think it might again not be much of a focus, but there's a high chance Android 16 will be present in some form, even if it's not the star of the show. But what could be the star? Well, with the whole world going mad for AI, and with Google being one of the biggest players in that space, it's likely that there will be a lot of chat about new and improved AI tools - many of which will probably come to Android. Gemini in particular is likely to be a focus, since that's Google's powerful large language model (LLM) and AI chatbot. We'll likely also learn more about the Android XR platform and the Project Moohan headset that Google is collaborating on with Samsung to run it. This headset is set to launch in 2025, and while we don't expect it will be ready quite yet, there's a good chance Google will show it off. Wear OS 6 might also make an appearance, though as we saw a bit about it at the recent Android Show, there's no guarantee. And of course, there could always be some surprises, so even if none of the above interests you much, it could still be worth tuning in. What we almost certainly won't see though is anything about the Google Pixel 10 series, as based on past form these phones will probably get a separate event towards the end of the year.