Summary of Google IO 2025: 5 major announcements you should be aware of.

      Google IO 2025 presented a substantial amount of AI content during its nearly two-hour opening keynote.

      Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google, along with his team, covered a lot on stage, and while some discussions were primarily tailored for developers, numerous significant announcements were aimed at everyday users.

      1. Google Beam: AI-enhanced 3D video calls

      If you frequently engage in video calls for work, Google Beam will pique your interest. Beam is described as an "AI-first video communications platform" that offers glasses-free 3D visuals.

      With a Beam device, AI transforms your video feed into a lifelike 3D video model, creating the illusion that you are sitting directly across from the other participant in the call. Google claims it achieves "near perfect head tracking, down to the millimeter, and at 60 frames per second."

      To utilize its ability to convert 2D video into 3D models, dedicated hardware is necessary (such as the six-camera-equipped screen from HP shown above), so Beam won’t be something you’ll typically use at home—at least for the time being.

      All demo videos have only showcased one-on-one conversations, with no information on whether it supports multiple participants at once. The initial Google Beam devices are expected to launch later this year, promising a 3D meeting transformation.

      Additionally, Google is working on real-time speech translation for Beam, enabling users to engage in natural conversations even if they speak different languages.

      2. Google AI Ultra: the premium AI subscription

      Google has revamped its AI subscription options, introducing two paid tiers for consumers.

      Google AI Pro

      Renamed from AI Premium, Google AI Pro costs $19.99 per month and includes:

      - Gemini app – Gemini 2.5 Pro, Deep Research, Veo 2

      - Flow – access to the AI filmmaking tool with Veo 2

      - Whisk – higher limits for image-to-video creation

      - NotebookLM

      - Gemini in Gmail, Docs, Vids, and more

      - Gemini in Chrome (early access)

      - 2TB of storage for Photos, Drive, and Gmail

      Google AI Ultra

      For those who are avid users of Google’s AI suite and want the newest and most advanced models, the Google AI Ultra plan is available at $249.99 per month.

      It includes everything from AI Pro, plus:

      - Gemini app – maximum limits, exclusive access to 2.5 Pro Deep Think and Veo 3

      - Flow – access to the AI filmmaking tool with Veo 3

      - Whisk – maximum limits for image-to-video creation

      - NotebookLM – highest limits and superior model capabilities

      - Gemini in Gmail, Docs, Vids, and more – maximum limits

      - Project Mariner (early access) – AI agent research prototype

      - YouTube Premium individual plan

      - 30TB of storage for Photos, Drive, and Gmail

      Google has also retained a free tier for basic access to Gemini without a monthly fee.

      3. Google Search: an AI transformation and a fun shopping feature

      AI Mode in Google Search

      Google Search is receiving numerous new AI features, with the primary addition being ‘AI Mode,’ which allows users to pose more complex questions and follow-up inquiries. Google asserts that AI Mode can tackle any question and encourages users to search for whatever intrigues them. This mode goes much deeper than traditional Search in retrieving answers, and it reportedly verifies its responses to minimize AI hallucinations.

      The aim is to provide users with a more comprehensive experience without the necessity of visiting multiple websites. It aims to assist with event ticket purchases and restaurant reservations (via Project Mariner AI agent), school projects (with Project Astra integration), and even allow you to see how you'd appear in that jacket you’ve been considering.

      A feature called ‘Try On’ will be introduced in the coming months, letting you upload a full-length photo of yourself when you tap the ‘Try On’ button over images of clothing in Google Shopping results.

      Upcoming features will bring complex analysis and data visualizations to AI Mode later this summer, particularly for sports and finance inquiries, enabling the display of findings through AI-generated graphs, charts, and more—not just text. Moreover, Personal Context Mode will be incorporated into AI Mode this summer, enabling Search to scan your inbox to provide more tailored responses.

      4. Google Flow: AI-driven filmmaking

      During the IO 2025 keynote, Google unveiled new versions of its AI image generator (Imagen) and AI video generator (Veo), both of which are utilized in its innovative AI filmmaking tool, Google Flow.

      Imagen 4 enhances the company’s AI text-to-image generation, offering improved image quality and faster processing speeds. A significant advancement is its ability to effectively manage characters and text within images. Imagen can now correctly format text and position it logically within your images.

      Veo 3 elevates Google’s AI video generator from silent to audible, adding background sounds