AI agents, Gemini, smart glasses and more

• Google expanded AI agents across Search, Gemini, shopping, and Workspace at I/O 2026.
• Google announced AI Search, Gemini 3.5, Universal Cart, lower pricing, and smart glasses.

Google used its annual I/O developer conference to announce AI updates across Search, Gemini, commerce, and smart glasses. The company also lowered pricing for some AI subscription plans for enterprise and high-usage customers.

The company said it is placing AI agents directly inside the Google Search box. The agents can handle tasks such as completing purchases, checking ticket availability, and managing schedules in real time.

Google said Search will support longer and more specific queries, including questions closer to natural language than traditional search terms. The company said the changes are powered by Gemini 3.5 and will be available through AI Mode.

Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai said AI features are affecting how people use Search. “When people use our AI-powered features in Search, they use Search more,” he said.

Liz Reid, vice president and head of Google Search, said Google Search queries reached an all-time high last month. She also said queries in AI Mode, which lets users interact with a Gemini-powered chatbot, have doubled every quarter since its launch a year ago.

The Search updates began rolling out globally on desktop and mobile on Tuesday. Google said users will still be able to access the traditional link-based version of Search through a “Web” tab.

Google said Search will automatically enter AI Mode when users add photos, videos, or documents to the Chrome browser’s search bar.

Google said Search will also be able to answer some queries using AI-generated visuals and code. The examples included scientific explanations and a tool for creating a fitness tracker.

Reid said the updates marked a major change to the product. “Google Search is AI search, through and through,” she said.

Nick Fox, senior vice president for Search and Ads, said in an interview before I/O that the changes represented the “biggest reinvention of the search box in 25 years.”

Gemini expands across apps

Google also introduced tools built on its Gemini 3.5 model family. Gemini 3.5 Flash was launched on Tuesday for coding and automated tasks, while Pichai said Gemini 3.5 Pro would arrive next month.

Pichai said Gemini now has 900 million monthly users, up from about 400 million in May last year. Google said Gemini is used in 230 countries and more than 70 languages.

The company also announced Gemini Spark, a cloud-based AI agent that can work across Google services. It is integrated with Workspace tools, including Gmail, Docs, and Slides.

Google said users will choose whether to enable Spark and which apps it can access. The company said the agent will ask before carrying out actions such as spending money or sending emails.

Gemini Spark is rolling out to trusted testers this week. A beta for US Google AI Ultra subscribers is planned for next week. Google also said Spark will later use MCP connections to services including Canva, OpenTable, and Instacart.

Google also announced Daily Brief, which creates a morning digest using information from connected apps such as Gmail and Calendar. It is rolling out to Google AI Plus, Pro, and Ultra subscribers, starting in the US.

Google said subscribers to its AI Pro and Ultra plans will be able to create “information agents” that conduct research and return summaries or action plans. It also announced a feature that can create custom visuals and dashboards based on user requests.

The company also introduced a redesigned Gemini interface called Neural Expressive. The update is rolling out globally across the web, Android, and iOS. Gemini Live is now integrated directly into Gemini, allowing users to switch between typed prompts and voice conversations.

Google said the Gemini app for macOS is available to download now. Spark and new voice features for the desktop app are scheduled to roll out later this summer.

Google lowers AI pricing for business users

Search remained Alphabet’s largest revenue source in 2025, when the company reported total revenue of $402.8 billion. Alphabet also expects capital expenditure of $180 billion to $190 billion this year, including AI infrastructure spending.

Google changed pricing for corporate and high-usage AI customers. The company lowered the price of its AI Ultra subscription from $250 a month to $200 a month.

The Ultra plan gives users higher AI usage limits and access to advanced AI models. Google also announced a $100-a-month version of Ultra aimed at developers and work-related users.

Pichai said many companies are already using more AI tokens than expected this year.

He said large users could save more than $1 billion a year by moving to Google’s models. In a briefing before the conference, he said Google’s models could offer performance similar to other frontier models at up to one-third of the cost.

Google adds commerce tools

Google introduced Universal Cart, an AI-powered shopping cart that works across Search and the Gemini app. The company said the feature will roll out in the US this summer, with YouTube and Gmail support to follow.

Google said shopping activity across its services happens more than one billion times a day. Its Shopping Graph includes more than 60 billion product listings. Universal Cart can track price drops, show price history, and alert users when items return to stock. It can also flag product compatibility issues.

The cart is built on Google Wallet and can account for payment perks, loyalty information, and merchant offers. Users can check out with Google Pay or transfer items to a merchant’s site. Google said the brand remains the merchant of record.

Google also said it will bring its Agent Payments Protocol to its products in the coming months, starting with Gemini Spark. The system lets users set spending limits and purchase criteria before an agent completes a transaction.

Coding tools and video models get updates

Google introduced an updated version of Antigravity, its coding assistant. The tool competes with Anthropic’s Claude Code.

The company hired key staff from AI code generation startup Windsurf last year.

Google also announced Gemini Omni, a new video model. Google said the model can use text, image, and video prompts to generate video outputs.

Gemini Omni is rolling out to Google AI Plus, Pro, and Ultra subscribers worldwide. Demis Hassabis, chief of Google DeepMind, said the model is part of Google’s work toward a “world model” that can simulate physical environments.

Smart glasses return with new partners

Google also gave a timeline for its renewed smart glasses project. The company said the glasses are expected to launch this autumn. They are being developed with Samsung, Warby Parker, and Gentle Monster.

The glasses will respond to Gemini voice commands and include embedded cameras for photos and videos. Meta has sold camera-equipped, voice-activated glasses through its Ray-Ban Meta partnership with EssilorLuxottica since 2021.

Google previously sold Google Glass, a $1,500 optical computer, in 2014 before ending consumer sales the following year. The company is also working on a second smart glasses model with an in-lens display, known as Project Aura.

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