Google I/O 2025: Shifting Focus from Android to AI
Google’s annual developer conference, I/O 2025, is set to kick off on Tuesday, and it’s clear that this year’s event will be significantly different from its predecessors. The tech giant has already announced a major visual update for Android, dubbed Material Three Expressive, in a pre-show event the week before, rather than saving it for the main conference. This move signals a shift in focus towards Artificial Intelligence (AI).
The emphasis on AI shouldn’t come as a surprise, given the trend set in the past couple of years. In 2023, Android was barely mentioned during the keynote, with CEO Sundar Pichai repeatedly mentioning AI. Last year’s keynote followed a similar pattern, with Pichai even counting the number of times AI was mentioned. This year’s event is expected to continue this trend, with a particular focus on Gemini, Google’s AI technology.
The shift away from Android as the centerpiece of Google’s developer conference reflects the company’s efforts to make new features available to a broader range of devices more quickly. By delivering updates through Google Play and app updates, Google can reach users faster, regardless of their device’s OS version. This approach addresses one of the long-standing criticisms of Android: slow feature rollouts.
Moreover, Google has adopted a new release schedule for Android 16, with a major release in Q2 and a minor release in Q4. This change is expected to help more devices take advantage of new features.
While the AI-focused event might feel repetitive, given the recent AI-centric announcements from various tech companies, Google has a strong track record of shipping AI features across its numerous platforms, including XR, Chrome, Gmail, and Meet. However, there’s a growing sense that the promises of AI’s benefits are starting to wear thin.
In a positive note, Google gave Android its moment to shine just before I/O, announcing Material Three Expressive. This approach allowed Android to receive some attention without overshadowing the main event’s AI focus.
As Google continues to push the boundaries of AI integration, the question remains whether this year’s I/O will bring anything new to the table or if it will feel like more of the same AI-focused announcements.
