The Most Important Google IO Announcements (SUPERCUT)

Okay, let's dive into the latest buzz from Google I/O!

This year's Google I/O was absolutely packed with major AI news, showcasing how Google is pushing the boundaries with its Gemini models, bringing advanced AI features to everything from search and creative tools to Android devices and even futuristic glasses and video communication. The key message is that AI is rapidly integrating into everyday products and research, aiming to make technology more helpful and accelerate scientific discovery.

Here are the key things you need to know from the event:

• New Gemini Models (2.5 Pro & Flash): There are updated versions of the core Gemini models. Gemini 2.5 Pro is highlighted as their most intelligent and the best foundation model globally, especially strong in coding (topping WebDev Arena) and learning (leading on LM Arena) thanks to the integration of LearnLM models. Gemini Flash 2.5 is their efficient, fast, and low-cost workhorse model, which is super popular with developers. The new Flash is better across the board in reasoning, code, and handling long stuff. It's second only to 2.5 Pro on LM Arena, which is really impressive for a "workhorse." Flash is becoming generally available early June, with Pro following soon after.
• Text-to-Speech Improvements: A cool new text-to-speech feature now supports multiple speakers for two voices using native audio output. This lets the model talk in more expressive ways, capturing subtle speech nuances, and even whispering! It works in over 24 languages and can switch between them seamlessly with the same voice. You can use this in the Gemini API right now, which is pretty awesome for building conversational apps.
• Gemini Thinking Budgets: They launched Flash with "Thinking Budgets" to give developers control over cost and speed versus output quality, and folks loved it. Now they're bringing this control to 2.5 Pro soon. It lets you decide how many "tokens" the model uses to "think" before giving you an answer, or you can just turn it off. This is a great way to manage performance and cost depending on what you need.
• Project Mariner (Web Agent): This is a research prototype of an agent that can actually use the web and get tasks done for you. It's seen as combining AI smarts with tools to take actions on your behalf. A key capability is "computer use," letting agents interact with browsers and software. Mariner was shown doing multitasking (up to 10 tasks at once) and learning tasks by being shown once ("Teach and Repeat"). They are bringing Mariner's computer use features to developers via the Gemini API this summer, aiming to build an "agent ecosystem."
• Agent Ecosystem & Protocols: They're working on building tools for agents to work together. This includes an open agent-to-agent protocol launched with over 60 partners and compatibility with Anthropic's model context protocol (MCP), which helps agents access other services. This feels significant for the future of how AI agents will interact.
• Jules (Coding Agent): This is an asynchronous coding agent you can give tasks to, and it works on its own to fix bugs or make updates. It hooks up with GitHub and can handle complex coding tasks in big codebases surprisingly quickly – things that used to take hours now take minutes. Jules is now in public beta, which is cool because anyone can sign up and try having an AI coding partner.
• Gemini Diffusion (Text Diffusion): Google pioneered diffusion models for images and video, and now they're applying it to text with an experimental model called Gemini Diffusion. This model doesn't just generate text left-to-right; it can iterate and correct itself during the process, making it great for tasks like editing math or code. It's also incredibly fast, generating five times quicker than their previous fastest model while matching coding performance. Seeing it solve a math problem almost instantly was pretty wild.
• Deep Think Mode for 2.5 Pro: Building on the idea that models get better with more thinking time (like AlphaGo), they're introducing a new "Deep Think" mode for 2.5 Pro. This mode pushes the model's performance to its limits using cutting-edge reasoning techniques, including parallel processing. It's showing impressive results on hard benchmarks like competitive math and coding (USAMO, LiveCodebench) and multimodal tasks (MMMU). It's being rolled out carefully to trusted testers first for frontier safety evaluations before wider availability, which makes sense given how powerful it is.
• AI for Science: A huge area of focus is using AI to speed up scientific discovery. Google DeepMind has made big strides across math and life sciences. They mentioned AlphaProof (math problems), Co-scientists (research collaboration), and AlphaRevolve (discovering knowledge, speeding AI training). In life sciences, AMI (medical diagnosis help), AlphaFold3 (predicting molecular structures/interactions - seen as having massive impact already with millions using it), and Isomorphic Labs (using AlphaFold for drug discovery) were highlighted. The belief is that AGI, if built safely, could be the most beneficial technology ever for accelerating science and solving global diseases.
• AI Mode for Search: Google Search is getting a total revamp with an "all-new AI mode." This uses more advanced reasoning to handle longer, more complex questions (users are already asking queries 2-3 times longer). You can also ask follow-up questions within the AI answer. It's available as a new tab in Search and is rolling out to everyone in the U.S. starting now. It's described as completely changing how Search is used.
• Deep Research: For digging into complex topics, Deep Research is getting a key update: you can now upload your own files to guide the research agent. This was a top requested feature and soon you'll be able to pull info from Google Drive and Gmail too.
• Canvas (Co-creation Space): This is an interactive space where Gemini can help you create things. You can now transform reports or detailed documents into various formats with one tap, like web pages, infographics, quizzes, or even custom podcasts in 45 languages. You can also "vibe code" and collaborate with Gemini to build interactive apps or simulations just by describing what you want. You can share and remix these creations, which seems great for collaboration.
• Imagen 4 (Image Generation): The latest image generation model is coming to the Gemini app. Imagen 4 is described as a big leap, producing richer images with better colors, details, shadows, and water effects. The presenter feels it's gone from "good to great to stunning" and is also much better at generating text and typography within images, which has been a common challenge for these models.
• Veo 3 (Video Generation with Audio): Veo 2 redefined video generation, and now Veo 3 is here and available today. The visual quality is even better with stronger understanding of physics. The major leap is native audio generation – Veo 3 can create sound effects, background sounds, and even dialogue based on your prompt, making generated videos incredibly realistic and immersive. Hearing characters speak adds a whole new dimension to video creation.
• Lyria 2 (Music Generation): Lyria 2 generates high-fidelity music with vocals, solos, and choirs, creating expressive, rich music. It's available now for enterprises, YouTube creators, and musicians.
• Flow (AI Filmmaking Tool): This new tool combines the best of Veo, Imagen, and Gemini into one place for creatives. It's built to help you get into a creative "zone." You can upload your own images or generate new ones using Imagen right in Flow. You can assemble clips, control camera movements with prompts, and crucially, extend clips or add new shots easily while maintaining character and scene consistency. If something isn't right, you can just trim or edit it like a normal video tool. Once done, you can download and edit in other software, adding music from Lyria. It looks like a powerful way to prototype and create video content quickly with AI help. Flow is launching today.
• Google AI Subscription Plans: They're upgrading their AI subscription plans. There's Google AI Pro (global availability) with higher rate limits and special features, including the Gemini app version formerly known as Gemini Advanced. Then there's the all-new Google AI Ultra plan (U.S. today, global soon). This is presented as the VIP pass for cutting-edge AI, offering the highest rate limits, earliest access to new features (like Deep Think mode in the Gemini app when ready, and Flow with Veo 3 available today), plus YouTube Premium and lots of storage.
• AI on Android Devices: Android is called the platform where you see the future first. Gemini is coming soon to the entire Android ecosystem, not just phones. You can already access Gemini via the power button on phones, but it's coming to your watch, car dashboard, and even your TV soon, putting a helpful AI assistant everywhere you are.
• Android XR & AI Glasses: They're building Android XR, the first Android platform designed for the Gemini era, supporting various devices from headsets to lightweight glasses. They believe people will use different XR devices for different needs throughout the day (immersive headsets for media/work, lightweight glasses for timely info on the go). Android XR is being built with Samsung and optimized for Snapdragon with Qualcomm. They're reimagining Google apps for XR, and mobile/tablet apps also work.
• Samsung's Project Wuhan (Android XR Headset): This is the first Android XR device from Samsung, available later this year. It offers an infinite screen for apps and integrates Gemini. You can "teleport" in Google Maps, ask Gemini about what you see, and watch things like sports with real-time stats chat.
• Lightweight AI Glasses: Google has been working on glasses for over 10 years and hasn't stopped. New prototypes with Android XR are lightweight for all-day wear, packed with tech (camera, mics, speakers, optional in-lens display) to give Gemini the ability to see and hear the world. They work with your phone, keeping your hands free. A live demo showed sending texts, muting notifications, identifying objects (coffee shop, photo wall), accessing info (band details, cafe photos), getting directions, translating languages in real-time (Hindi and Farsi demo), and identifying people (Giannis!). They see glasses as a natural form factor for AI, putting Gemini right where you are.
• Android XR Glasses Development: They're partnering with Samsung to extend Android XR beyond headsets to glasses, creating software and reference hardware. Prototypes are being used by testers, and developers can start building for glasses later this year.
• Eyewear Partners (Gentle Monster, Warby Parker): To make sure the glasses are stylish and wearable all day, they've announced partnerships with Gentle Monster and Warby Parker as the first eyewear partners building glasses with Android XR. This feels important for getting widespread adoption beyond just tech early adopters.
• Google Beam (AI-first Video Communication): Building on their Project Starline 3D video tech, Google Beam is a new platform that uses an AI model to turn regular 2D video streams into a realistic 3D experience. It uses six cameras and AI to merge streams and render you on a 3D light field display with near-perfect real-time head tracking. The goal is a much more natural and immersive conversation, making you feel like you're in the same room. Early devices will be available for customers later this year in collaboration with HP.
• AI for Societal Impact (FireSat, Drone Deliveries): They shared examples of how AI is helping society now. FireSat is a constellation of satellites using AI and multispectral imagery to detect wildfires as small as a one-car garage in near real-time (imagery updated every 20 minutes instead of 12 hours). Wing (drone delivery partner) used AI during Hurricane Helene to deliver critical supplies based on real-time needs. These examples show the practical, life-saving potential of current AI.
• Inspiration for the Future: The rapid progress towards things like next-gen robots, disease treatments, quantum computers, and fully autonomous vehicles is inspiring. They believe these aren't decades away but years, which is pretty amazing. A personal story about seeing an elderly father amazed by riding in a Waymo highlighted how powerful technology can be to inspire and move us forward.