Google I/O 2026: Every AI Drop Since Last Year

Our gifting experts are obsessively searching for holiday gifts that are unique, thoughtful and suitable for any budget. Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Google's AI has come a long way since last year's software conference. We’re about to get even more AI from Google. We’ve joked for the past several years that Google I/O, the company’s developer conference, is really more like Google A/I. There’s a lot of truth behind it; so many of Google’s apps have gotten an AI makeover. But in a turbocharged field like AI, things change quickly. So as we prepare for Google I/O 2026, we’re revisiting what’s changed over the past year. Google’s approach to AI is multidimensional. Gemini, the company’s AI, is embedded in every part of the business, from hardware like new AI-forward Pixel phones and smart glasses to AI integrations into every piece of software like Search, Google Docs, Gmail and more. Gemini, the chatbot, has also led the pack in a competitive industry and carved out industry-first capabilities. The AI industry as a whole has changed a lot over t