What Did Google Do This Week?

ANOTHER AI MELANGE FOR GOOGLE (AND SOME VERY BIG UPDATES)

Google found out Gail (no friend to big tech) Slater is going to be the new body in the antitrust hot seat this week, but that was the least of their issues…

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Google went all-in on AI this week, embedding it deeper into its ecosystem while lobbying hard to reshape the rules governing it. Gemini is replacing Google Assistant on mobile, a move that kills off the company’s original voice assistant in favor of an AI model designed to integrate more seamlessly with Google’s services. Gemini’s new personalisation tools are also changing search, allowing users to tailor results based on their own history—though what that means for privacy remains an open question. Meanwhile, DeepMind is moving Gemini into robotics, training AI to operate real-world machines more efficiently. On the accessibility side, Google made Gemini Advanced research tools free to everyone, positioning it as a competitor to OpenAI’s paid Pro models. But even as it expands its AI offerings, Google is pushing to weaken copyright laws and loosen export controls on AI models, a move that would benefit Google’s global AI ambitions but could lead to broader concerns over intellectual property theft.

At the hardware level, Google acquired eye-tracking startup AdHawk in a move that signals a renewed push into augmented reality. Meanwhile, Google’s investment in Anthropic has drawn scrutiny, with court documents showing how deeply intertwined the two companies are, despite claims of independence. AI’s influence is also reshaping the workforce—Google is testing AI-powered hiring interviews, leading to concerns that candidates could cheat, or that AI might introduce new hiring biases.

Regulators aren’t buying Google’s AI-first narrative. The UK’s antitrust body has raised concerns about Google and Apple’s dominance in mobile browsers, while the U.S. government remains committed to forcing Google to sell off Chrome to break its hold on web advertising. There’s also pushback at the platform level—Google and Meta are under pressure in Utah to introduce stricter age verification policies for their app stores. Meanwhile, Google is under scrutiny in the UK over whether it has received orders under the controversial Telecommunications Network Act, which could compel companies to hand over user data to the government.

Even outside of AI, Google is still making major changes. Google Maps suffered a massive data-wiping bug that permanently erased location history for some users, with no way to recover it. Chrome was caught injecting affiliate links through extensions like PayPal’s Honey, raising questions about whether Google is using its own browser for direct revenue extraction. Google Wallet is testing new ways to answer calls, hinting at a broader strategy to integrate payments with communication. The company is also refining its business offerings—its Customer Engagement Suite now includes AI agents that businesses can deploy for customer service.

Shopping is getting a makeover, too. A new checkout pricing model could change how retailers display prices, while Google Ads and Tag Manager updates are adjusting how brands track and target users. Meanwhile, Google is rolling out carbon tracking for advertisers, allowing companies to measure emissions tied to their digital ad campaigns.

Google is working on porting PC games to Android, a move that could make higher-end titles more accessible on mobile. Developers also got a boost with Gemma 3’s release, a next-gen open AI model aimed at researchers and businesses looking to integrate AI without relying on proprietary systems. For Google’s developer community, new BigQuery features and Google I/O puzzle challenges are keeping the momentum going.

Chromecast finally received a bug fix—right as new issues emerged for its Google TV lineup. End-to-end encryption for Android and iOS was another highlight, adding better security protections across messaging platforms. But perhaps the most significant change came from Google’s March core search update, which is shaking up rankings yet again, leaving SEO teams scrambling.

Google is still trying to be everywhere at once—dominating AI, controlling search, expanding hardware, and reshaping digital policy to its advantage. But with regulators watching, competitors encroaching, and users questioning its moves, the company is walking a fine line between innovation and overreach. Whether this strategy holds will depend on how fast Google can rewrite the rules before someone else enforces them.

The immediate future is clear: AI is Google’s survival play, and it will use every tool at its disposal to make Gemini indispensable. Expect Google I/O on May 25 to be the moment when the company tries to convince developers, businesses, and the public that Gemini is no longer just an add-on but the backbone of its entire ecosystem. The search experience will lean even harder into AI-generated overviews, Gemini will likely expand into Google Workspace in ways that shift how businesses interact with AI, and there will almost certainly be a showcase of Gemini running on new Pixel hardware. Google needs this event to land, not just for consumer buy-in, but because investors will be watching closely to see if its AI bets are translating into real products and real engagement.

The broader landscape is shifting under Google’s feet. Regulators in the US, UK, and EU are tightening their grip, and with the DOJ still considering forcing a Chrome sell-off, Google’s ability to control the internet’s gateway is under threat. The UK’s latest investigation into mobile browser dominance could also lead to changes in how Chrome and Safari operate, potentially opening the door for competitors. Meanwhile, its investment in Anthropic is a time bomb—if regulators decide that Google and Amazon’s funding has effectively neutralised competition, stricter AI investment rules could follow. Google’s aggressive push to weaken AI-related copyright and export laws shows that it is trying to shape the legal landscape in its favour before regulators lock it out. All while the energy needs of big tech continue to pivot towards nuclear.

For businesses and developers, the next few months are critical. If Google’s AI-first strategy succeeds, it could fundamentally reshape how companies interact with search, advertising, and cloud services. The March core search update already signals a move towards AI-driven search rankings, and if Gemini-powered results become the norm, traditional SEO will lose relevance. Marketers will need to rethink visibility strategies, and publishers should be preparing for a world where AI-generated overviews replace organic traffic. Businesses that rely on search-driven discovery must start exploring alternative channels now—whether that means strengthening direct engagement, investing in AI-driven content optimisation, or shifting ad budgets towards social and emerging search alternatives.

For Google’s competitors, this is an opening. Microsoft’s AI push through OpenAI is still in play, and Meta is showing signs of moving further into AI-driven assistants. Meanwhile, Perplexity AI and other search challengers are proving that there is demand for an alternative to Google’s increasingly AI-filtered results. If Google’s next moves in AI search fail to win over users, expect these challengers to grow—especially if regulators step in and force Google to cede ground.

Google I/O (May 20-21) will be the next major test. If Gemini lands as Google hopes, AI will become even more entrenched across its platforms, making it harder for businesses and users to function without it. If Gemini stumbles—if AI search delivers worse results, if businesses reject Gemini’s integrations, if regulators push back—then Google’s dominance will start to crack. The next six months will determine whether Google cements its AI future or faces what is likely to be the biggest pushback in its history. Businesses, developers, and competitors should be watching closely—and preparing for a world where Google’s grip gets tighter than ever or is finally forced to relinquish some of its control.

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