After last year's Google I/O developer conference, the internet was flooded with articles and videos chronicling the number of times the tech giant uttered the word “AI” during its keynotes. (This inspired me and CNET's Patrick Holland to poke fun at that iteration in a light-hearted skit.) Despite the flurry of AI-related announcements, Google is still , Pixel Tablet, Pixel, and other hardware. Fold, during last year's event.
But in 2024, this will not be the case.
This year, Google is all about AI, AI, and more AI. We shared the latest information about AI in Search, Android 15, Photos, and Workspaces. It outlined his vision for your future AI colleague (adorably named Chip, but whether you'll have warm and fuzzy feelings for him is another matter). We showed you all how Gemini, Google's ChatGPT competitor, opens the door to a better assistant and smoother conversations. CEO Sundar Pichai even said at the beginning of this year's keynote that Google is “in the Age of Gemini.” But by eliminating most hardware updates, so many software updates have become blurry.
Read more: Google I/O is a mess and it's a big problem
The only (brief) mention of hardware was when Google introduced its upcoming Trillium Tensor processors and said Nvidia's Blackwell GPUs would arrive in its data centers in 2025. Google didn't mention his Pixel 8A, instead choosing to announce a more budget-friendly product. I hung up the phone a week ago.
Given that AI has taken center stage in the tech scene over the past year and a half, it's no surprise that Google has placed such emphasis on promoting its developments in the field. . Other companies like Meta, Adobe, and Amazon are also doubling down on their AI efforts to compete with (or keep pace with) OpenAI.
But the appeal of technology events like Google I/O is often that they create a comfortable balance between software and hardware. Last year, Google's AI announcements like Magic Editor and Help Me Write stood out because they didn't get lost among other AI announcements, some with similar names. And one of my favorite parts of his 2023 conference was his Pixel Fold and tablet hands-on after the keynote. Delivering a combination of hardware and software updates allows for a more tangible (literally) experience and showcases the breadth of development that a diversified company like Google can achieve. New software also has a greater impact because there are new devices to experience the new software's capabilities.
But now, Google has made it clear that AI is its core product, built into virtually every gadget and platform. It's on your phone, tablet, smart home display, search engine, app, and just about every other place you can imagine. Touted as a reliable teammate, helpful party planner, helpful tutor, and talented ghostwriter. And we're just getting started.
And while Google typically saves its most important hardware product announcements for the fall, I wouldn't be surprised if AI dominated the conversation at the annual Pixel event as well. (After all, Pixel 8's new AI features like Best Take and Magic Editor were the biggest phone updates last year.)
That's why this year's Google I/O marks a turning point in the typical technology keynote (you move, Apple). As more companies look to promote AI as their most popular “product,” all the hardware that previously claimed exclusive ownership of that title will take a step back. This creates room for this rapidly evolving field to dominate the spotlight.
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