Tech Research

At the Google I/O 2025 developer conference, Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet and Google, spoke passionately about the transformative power of artificial intelligence, calling it a fundamental platform shift that rivals the impact of the internet and mobile revolutions. According to Pichai, decades of deep research in fields like machine learning, natural language processing, and neural networks are finally moving from theory into widespread real-world application. AI is no longer confined to research papers or lab demos—it is now powering products that billions of people use every day.

Pichai described this moment as an inflection point where AI is seamlessly integrating into core Google services, most notably Search. He highlighted the broad rollout of “AI Mode” in the U.S., a new feature designed to make search more conversational and intuitive. Rather than just providing a list of links, AI Mode uses generative AI to understand complex queries, provide follow-up suggestions, and deliver nuanced answers that simulate the experience of talking to a knowledgeable expert. This shift is enabled by Gemini 2.5, Google’s latest AI model, which offers advanced reasoning capabilities and a deeper understanding of user context and intent.

The company’s confidence in these developments is underscored by how rapidly they are being deployed. AI overviews, which provide quick summaries of search results using generative AI, are now used by more than 1.5 billion people and are driving significant increases in search activity. Google plans to expand this feature to over 200 countries and territories by the end of the year. Pichai described AI overviews as one of the most successful product launches in the history of Google Search, especially in key markets like the United States and India, where they have boosted engagement by more than 10 percent.

To support this explosive growth in AI capabilities, Google is investing heavily in infrastructure. Pichai revealed a $75 billion commitment to building and upgrading data centers, which will be equipped with next-generation AI chips and Tensor Processing Units. This investment reflects Google’s long-term bet that AI will be the foundation of the next wave of digital innovation. Just as it once built data centers to support the internet, the company is now laying the groundwork for a global AI-first ecosystem.

The reach of Google’s AI also extends beyond Search. The Gemini app, powered by the same advanced models, has grown rapidly and now serves more than 400 million monthly active users. Gemini is being positioned not just as a chatbot but as a full-spectrum digital assistant, capable of handling everything from productivity tasks and education to creative writing and programming. The product is already available on Android and iOS, further embedding AI into users’ daily routines.

Despite intensifying competition from companies like Microsoft, OpenAI, and Meta, Pichai remained optimistic and focused on differentiation. Google is pushing hard into areas like video understanding, live image queries, voice interaction, and personalized agents. New experiments, such as Project Astra, are designed to demonstrate how far AI assistants can go in handling real-time, multimodal input with contextual awareness. Meanwhile, features like Deep Search and planning tools hint at how AI will continue to deepen its role in daily life and decision-making.

Pichai closed by emphasizing the importance of responsible innovation. As AI takes center stage in Google’s strategy, the company is also working to ensure its systems are safe, transparent, and aligned with user expectations. The rapid pace of AI development brings with it immense opportunity but also significant responsibility. Google aims to strike that balance by leading with both technological ambition and ethical awareness.

This year’s I/O event made it clear that AI is no longer just part of Google’s offerings—it is becoming the backbone of its entire platform. From Search to cloud infrastructure to consumer apps, the AI revolution is not something on the horizon; it is already here, reshaping how people find information, interact with technology, and experience the digital world.