In AI Mode, users will have a far more conversational Search experience, asking Google questions directly about what they’re looking for.
At the same time, AI features like these could cannibalize Google Search and threaten the tech giant’s main cash cow, Google Ads.
That being said, it’s already testing ads in AI Mode.
Gemini everywhere Google’s AI model family, Gemini, took center stage at I/O.
Soaring AI traction New AI features are undeniably cool, though Google’s AI traction garnered some of the biggest reactions at Pichai’s keynote speech on Tuesday.
From its redesign of Search to its newest AI models and wearable technology, Google’s 100 announcements at I/O this week demonstrate the tech giant’s intention to control every facet of artificial intelligence.
It felt electrifying at times and was crowded. Google provided impressive statistics demonstrating the success of its AI. It had many ambitious plans as well, such as creating a universal AI assistant and real-time guidance-giving extended reality glasses.
I/O also demonstrated Google’s shortcomings. While OpenAI, Google’s fiercest rival, outshone Google on Wednesday with a significant announcement of its own, some releases obviously overlapped.
An associated video.
These are the six key conclusions from the conference.
Search needs a “total overhaul,” according to Google.
The most significant update announced at I/O was AI Mode, which CEO Sundar Pichai described as a “total overhaul” of Google’s most recognizable feature. Users will be able to ask Google questions directly about what they’re looking for in AI Mode, which will make searching much more conversational.
Compared to the old-fashioned method of searching through a lengthy list of links to find the answer, which feels more awkward than ever in the era of AI chatbots, that is a significant change.
However, AI features like these have the potential to eat away at Google Search and jeopardize Google Ads, the tech giant’s biggest source of revenue. Google runs the danger of failing to figure out how to make a significant profit from these AI tools. However, it is currently testing advertisements in AI Mode.
Gemini everywhere.
At I/O, Google’s AI model family, Gemini, was the main attraction. Google revealed plans to incorporate Gemini into Chrome, enabling users to have conversations with its most recent artificial intelligence models while they browse. This summer, subscribers will be able to use the feature. It’s aimed at OpenAI’s ChatGPT, which already has a well-liked Chrome extension.
Along with a number of updates, I/O also revealed that its Gemini app now has 400 million monthly active users, which is still a remarkable number but still lags behind ChatGPT. The Personal Context update allows users of the Gemini app to receive personalized responses based on personal information from Google services, such as asking its AI to locate a long-lost email.
All of this falls under Google’s long-term Project Astra plan to create a universal AI assistant. Even though it’s not yet complete, that plan seems more developed than it did when Business Insider tested Astra a year ago.
rising interest in AI.
Although Google’s AI traction elicited some of the largest reactions during Pichai’s keynote address on Tuesday, new AI features are unquestionably cool.
On stage, Pichai boasted that since last year, Google has produced over 480 trillion tokens per month, a 50-fold increase from the previous year.
It was a huge moment, and the audience gasped. Despite having little to show for it, last year’s I/O felt like a massive teaser for upcoming AI features. There was a change this year.
Go founder mode, Sergey Brin.
Google’s triple down on AI was never more evident than when cofounder Sergey Brin interrupted a fireside chat with DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis. That came after Brin wandered around a pavilion wearing XR glasses from Google.
Brin stated during the conversation that he now works on AI “pretty much every day” in the office. In order to capitalize on the current environment, he added, retired computer scientists ought to return to their jobs.
Brin has been back at Google since 2023 as the search engine behemoth battles AI competitors, and it’s clear that he’s in “founder mode”—a rare situation for a well-established business.
Sort of, Google’s smart glasses are here.
Google allowed BI to test out its Android XR glasses prototype for a short time. These glasses allow users to ask questions and have Gemini’s AI features. Though promising, the technology is still in its infancy. When the masses of I/O attendees lined up for demos, Google employees asked them not to inquire about battery life, availability, or price.
“We just don’t know!” they exclaimed.
The prototype glasses have an amazing light weight, almost too light, making us fear they might fall off our faces. Only the right lens supports the display, which is essentially invisible unless viewed at the ideal angle and in the ideal lighting conditions. Despite being full-color, it’s so tiny and understated that you might completely miss the display.
The glasses that Google displayed during its keynote did not permit us to view Google Maps or Photos. Rather, we wore the glasses and strolled through a room that was decorated with artwork on the walls and travel guides on a table that we could consult with Gemini.
Even though Gemini was able to identify the artwork, it was unable to respond to a simple travel question when we looked at the travel catalogs: “What is the cheapest flight to New York next month?” Additionally, the display is only on one side, so we felt a little confused when we stared at it.
The final design differs from the one we saw. It lacks the upcoming Warby Parker and Gentle Monster flair, but there were some encouraging signs.
It might or might not work to throw everything against the wall.
Even though some of Google’s announcements seemed repetitive, they are still unquestionably impressive. For instance, it’s challenging to distinguish between Search Live and Gemini Live. They both entail speaking with your phone about what it detects from its camera.
Google may benefit from its strategy of launching literally 100 different initiatives at once. It might also indicate a lack of concentration.
When it was announced that OpenAI was purchasing the hardware startup founded by former Apple design chief Jony Ive, BI was at an I/O panel. It felt a little unsettling to see OpenAI surpass Google in that way.
AI-powered “tool calling” was one of the many technical and dry terms used in the Google panel that BI attended. It is impossible to miss the contrast with OpenAI’s highly publicized announcement. When the news broke, we even witnessed a few attendees look at their phones.
Google does have significant advantages in terms of distribution and scale because of Chrome and Android.
However, it’s possible that in the long run, a device that is AI-native and completely separates from Google’s ecosystem will replace it.
