Key Takeaways
- Google’s recent I/O 2025 event showcased a wave of new AI-powered tools and features.
- A new system called Beam aims to make 3D video calls feel incredibly lifelike, like you’re in the same room.
- Gemini Live, an AI assistant that can understand what it sees through your phone’s camera, is now free for everyone on Android and iPhone.
- Google Search is introducing an “AI Mode” for more conversational searches and visual answers.
- Advanced AI tools, Imagen 4 and Veo 3, were launched for creating stunning images and videos complete with sound.
- Android XR, a new operating system for smart glasses and headsets, was also unveiled to power immersive experiences.
Google recently pulled back the curtain on its latest innovations at its annual I/O 2025 developer event, placing artificial intelligence squarely in the spotlight. The tech giant revealed a host of new products and updates designed to weave AI deeper into how we communicate, create, and use technology daily.
One of the standout announcements was Beam, a system set to redefine virtual meetings. Imagine video calls where the other person appears in realistic, life-size 3D, making it feel as though you’re truly together. That’s the promise of Beam, which uses AI and advanced 3D imaging to create this sense of presence without needing special glasses or headsets.
The goal is to capture natural eye contact and those subtle non-verbal cues often lost in standard video calls. According to Business Standard, Google is partnering with HP to bring the first Beam devices to workplaces later this year. Plans are also in place to make it compatible with popular platforms like Google Meet and Zoom.
Beam will also feature real-time speech translation, allowing conversations to flow across different languages while keeping the speaker’s original voice tone. Companies like Deloitte and Salesforce are already among the early testers exploring Beam’s potential to transform remote collaboration.
For everyday users, Google announced that Gemini Live, its conversational AI with visual understanding, is now available for free. This means your AI assistant on Android and iPhone can now “see” through your device’s camera and respond to what’s happening around you, building on technology first shown as Project Astra.
Google Search is also getting a significant AI upgrade. A new “AI Mode,” rolling out in the US, will allow for more natural, chatbot-style conversations. Instead of just a list of links, you can ask follow-up questions and get more direct, sometimes visual, answers, with Google aiming to personalize results further over time.
Looking ahead, Google introduced Android XR, a new operating system specifically designed for immersive devices like smart glasses and headsets. This platform aims to use AI to power augmented reality experiences, from sending messages with a glance to providing live navigation and instant language translation directly in your field of view.
Creativity also got a major AI boost with the launch of Imagen 4 and Veo 3. Imagen 4 is Google’s most advanced tool yet for generating images from text, promising better detail and accuracy. Veo 3 takes this further, creating not just realistic videos from your descriptions but also generating accompanying audio, like sound effects and dialogue.
Finally, Google is working to make its apps more personally helpful through AI. An upcoming feature in Gmail, for example, will offer “Personalised Smart Replies” that better match your usual tone and context when drafting emails. This is part of a wider effort to tailor AI experiences across Google’s services.
