Google is putting more AI in more places
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Google CEO Sundar Pichai on stage at Google I/O Tuesday. Photo: Ina Fried/Axios
Google used this week's I/O developer conference to announce a slew of new AI features and experiences, along with a new $250-a-month subscription service for those who want to access the company's latest tools.
Why it matters: Google is aiming to prove that it can make its core products better through AI without displacing its highly lucrative advertising and search businesses.
Key announcements Google made Tuesday:
- It debuted Flow, a new AI filmmaking tool that draws on the company's latest Veo 3 engine and adds audio capabilities. The company also announced Imagen 4, its latest image generator, which Google says is better at rendering text, among other improvements.
- Google said it would soon make broadly available its latest Gemini 2.5 Flash and Pro models and add a new reasoning mode for the Pro model called Deep Think.
- Google will make its AI Mode, a chat-like version of search, broadly available in the U.S., and it's updating the underlying model to use a custom version of Gemini 2.5.
- It's also beginning to allow customers to give large language models access to their personal data — starting with the ability to generate personalized smart replies to Gmail messages that draw on a user's email history. That feature will be available for paying subscribers this summer, Google CEO Sundar Pichai said.
- On the coding front, Google offered further details on Jules, its autonomous agent, which is now available in public beta. Microsoft and OpenAI have also announced new coding agents in recent days.
For those who want to make sure they can have the most access to Google's AI models, the company is introducing Google AI Ultra, a $250-a-month service.
- The high-end subscription — an alternative to the standard $20-a-month basic service — includes access to a number of its most powerful AI agents, models and services, as well as YouTube Premium and 30TB of cloud storage.
Also in Google's cavalcade of demos, the company showed an early prototype of its Android XR glasses searching, taking photos and performing live translation.
- The glasses have audio and camera features similar to Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses, but also offer an optional display. (Meta is also said to be working on a version of its glasses with a built-in display for later this year.)
- Partners include Samsung and eyewear makers Warby Parker and Gentle Monster.
The big picture: Google's event comes a day after Microsoft made a slew of announcements at its Build conference in Seattle. Anthropic, meanwhile, is holding its first-ever developer conference on Thursday in San Francisco.
Go deeper: Google upgrades AI tools for shopping
