Google unveiled a broad expansion of its artificial intelligence strategy at its annual I/O 2026 developer conference, introducing major updates to Search, new Gemini AI models and a renewed push into smart eyewear as competition intensifies in the global AI race.
Speaking at the event in California, Google Chief Executive Sundar Pichai described the company’s next phase as the “agentic era,” where AI systems will be capable of carrying out more autonomous tasks across Google’s products and services.
Pichai said the company remains focused on making AI central to its long-term strategy.
“Ten years since we pivoted the company to be AI-first, we still see AI as the most profound way to advance our mission and improve people’s lives at scale,” he said during the keynote presentation.
Among the biggest announcements was a major redesign of Google Search, which the company called its most significant overhaul in more than 25 years.
The updated search experience introduces an AI-powered “Intelligent Search” box that allows users to describe requests conversationally rather than relying on keywords. Google demonstrated how users could ask for recommendations for pottery classes on specific evenings and receive refined, personalised results alongside follow-up suggestions.
The company also introduced AI-powered search agents capable of handling longer tasks such as planning weddings, organising moves and monitoring online updates. Google said users would be able to create personalised dashboards and receive notifications when specific information appears online.
The search overhaul arrives as Google faces criticism that AI-generated search summaries, known as AI Overviews, are reducing traffic to external websites.
Google also expanded its Gemini artificial intelligence platform with the launch of Gemini Omni and Gemini 3.5 Flash.
Gemini Omni is designed to combine text, audio, images and video into a single AI system capable of generating and editing multimedia content. During demonstrations, users altered video scenes through conversational prompts, including changing visual effects and transforming objects within clips.
Gemini 3.5 Flash, meanwhile, is aimed at developers and businesses seeking faster and lower-cost AI tools for coding and application development. Google also previewed a more advanced Gemini 3.5 Pro model expected later this year.
AI features are also being added across Google’s wider ecosystem. New tools include voice-powered Gmail search, AI-assisted document creation in Google Docs and interactive YouTube search functions that allow viewers to ask questions directly while watching videos.
The company also expanded its ambitions in wearable technology with updated Android XR smart glasses.
Google said it is developing two categories of AI-powered eyewear: audio glasses that provide spoken assistance and display glasses that project information directly into the user’s field of view.
Users will be able to activate the assistant by voice command or by tapping the side of the glasses to receive directions, translations, photo assistance and contextual information in real time.
To improve consumer appeal, Google confirmed partnerships with eyewear brands Warby Parker and Gentle Monster, with the first smart glasses expected to launch later this year.
