What to expect from Google this week

Google I/O 2025 commences with the company facing significant challenges in the foundation model arena, particularly concerning its coding capabilities. A year ago, Google was highly competitive with its Gemini 2.5 Pro, but now its coding tools reportedly lag behind those of Anthropic and OpenAI.

Reports suggest Google is seriously addressing its AI coding deficit, with a new team at DeepMind and the involvement of Nobel laureate John Jumper. However, it is unlikely Google will regain a leading position in AI coding during this conference, as internal reports indicate their publicly available models are still behind.

Despite coding weaknesses, Google DeepMind maintains a strong lead in AI for science, having earned a Nobel Prize for AlphaFold. Attendees should anticipate announcements regarding new scientific AI tools, such as improvements to its AI co-scientist or AlphaEvolve, building on its existing innovative work in the field.

Google also has substantial research in LLM-based health tools. While OpenAI's ChatGPT Health has recently dominated the conversation, Google plans to make its AI-powered Health Coach publicly available. It remains to be seen if this signals a new focus or a cautious approach in a high-stakes area.

Beyond product announcements, the conference will likely navigate recent controversies. A letter from 600 employees, many from DeepMind, protesting a DoD deal highlights internal dissent. Despite efforts to maintain neutrality, these issues may surface.