Google I/O goes A/I

Google I/O goes A/I

Google I/O is no longer just a tech party for developers. It is the premier event of the year where Google reveals the future direction of the internet.

And in 2026? One name was everywhere: Gemini.

Yes, Google went all-in on A/I at I/O.

Gemini is growing, and how!

We’ll spare you the details, but the star of this edition was Google’s digital assistant. Gemini was truly everywhere.

Gemini 3.5 Flash is rolling out to almost everything Google. Gemini Omni now creates and edits multimodal video. The Gemini app is getting a ‘Neural Expressive’ redesign with richer response formats. Ask YouTube searches within videos for you. And this autumn, an Android XR headset and Android Halo will even arrive.

Impressive. But for marketers and CEOs, three announcements really stood out: Spark, Search and Shopping.


Spark: the new digital staff member

Gemini Spark is the personal agent that goes through your emails, organizes notes, and compiles a Daily Brief every morning based on Gmail, Calendar, and Tasks.

Handy if you live and work within the Google ecosystem.

The question for brands? If that AI agent is soon deciding on behalf of your customer which newsletters they read, which meetings they accept, and which quotes they open… how do you ensure it puts your brand at the top?

Search: from search bar to conversation partner, in ads too

Search: from search bar to conversation partner, in ads too

In AI Mode, Gemini enhances itself with mini-apps, custom dashboards, and information agents that work on your search query in the background. The search bar is becoming more conversational than ever. This makes GEO and AEO even more critical if you want to be part of the conversation.

And that evolution doesn't stop at organic search results, by the way.

Google has since announced that ads are also increasingly becoming part of that conversation.

For instance, it is testing new AI-first ad formats where brands can appear directly in AI answers as a recommended solution. When Gemini soon displays a list of recommendations—for example, the best language apps for a trip or the most suitable software for a specific challenge—brands can appear among those recommendations as a Highlighted Answer.

Not next to the answer, but inside the answer.

In addition, Google is testing a Business Agent for Leads: an AI agent embedded directly into the ad. Instead of filling out a form, interested users can chat immediately with a digital brand assistant that provides answers based on your website.

The conclusion?

The boundaries between SEO, GEO, SEA, and conversational marketing are blurring rapidly.

It is becoming increasingly important that your content is not only found but is also understandable, reliable, and usable for AI systems. Because soon, it won't just be the user who decides if your brand is visible, but also the AI that guides them.

Shopping: Google is taking over your store

And then… the Universal Cart.

The announcement at Google I/O that undoubtedly caused the biggest shockwave for brand owners and e-commerce managers.

Google's shopping assistant now compares prices, product variants, and offers across webshops and brands itself. Customers will no longer shop in your store. They will shop with Gemini, which roams through all sites, weighs everything up, and puts it all into one shopping cart.

Three consequences for your brand:

• Your product data becomes your storefront. No matter how beautiful your homepage is… what Gemini sees is in your product feed, structured data, and metadata. That is where the decision is made.

• Your advertised price becomes criticalUpselling premium versions via a smart user flow on your site? That becomes much harder if the customer has already had their AI assistant do the comparison for them.

• Your brand story needs to exist outside your shop. If you can no longer get customers to your site before they make a purchase, you need to be top of mind outside your own channels. For example, through reviews, expert articles, and AI sources.

What now?

With Universal Cart, you have two options. Either your brand ends up in Gemini's shopping cart, or it stays on the shelf.

I/O, then: in or out.

You no longer make the difference just with a beautiful visual or a smooth campaign. You do it with data discipline, sharp price positioning, and a brand that stands firm even outside your own channels.

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