GoKawiilIt feels like Google is trying to push its way through a crowded room in order to be the center of attention.
Google I/O, the company's annual developer conference, is a week away -- and tech experts expect there'll be announcements of new AI features, integrations and devices that could change our daily lives.
This week at The Android Show: I/O Edition virtual event, Google revealed Android 17, Googlebooks (a new type of Chromebook) and updates to Gemini and Android Auto. But there's still plenty for Google to show off at I/O on May 19 and 20, including Android XR smart glasses -- and more AI.
Google I/O is the first in a series of developer events over the coming weeks, with Apple's WWDC and Microsoft's Build scheduled for the start of June. We've all heard tech companies talk about dominating AI, pushing deeper into wearables and creating ecosystems where all of their devices work seamlessly together. I/O gives Google the chance to get ahead of its rivals by showcasing its latest AI advances -- and the personal devices designed to run them. But amid a crowded market and trust issues, how can Google really wow us?
There are two key developments to look out for at Google I/O that may answer that question: smart glasses and agentic AI.
Watch this: Google I/O 2026: New Gemini, Smart Glasses and a Whole New Laptop OS. Here's What to Expect 06:44
What will Google add to the smart glasses market?
Google could reveal its smart glasses at Google I/O next week. James Martin/CNET
Google is expected to debut its AI-powered Android XR smart glasses, rivaling Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses. Google first teased the return of smart glasses at its I/O keynote in 2024 (remember Google Glasses?). Last year, the company showed off a Gemini-powered prototype version, which Abrar Al-Heeti, CNET's senior tech reporter, tested at Mobile World Congress. Al-Heeti was especially impressed by the Google Maps demo, which provided directions based on a picture she viewed through the glasses, as well as the ability to look at a vinyl album cover and ask Gemini to play a song from it.
Sounds cool, but are Gemini-powered smart glasses the ones you'll want to wear all day, every day, as Google hopes? Considering that Meta already dominates the smart glasses space, it's a tall order.
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