Google opens I/O, still third in foundation model race
SkimNews Take
Google's focus on integrating Gemini into its existing product ecosystem, rather than launching standalone AI services, suggests a strategy to leverage its massive user base as a competitive advantage against pure-play AI companies.
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- Google will hold its annual developer conference I/O tomorrow in Mountain View, California, positioning itself as the third‑place contender in the foundation model race.
- Google’s coding tools have been outperformed by Anthropic’s Claude Code and OpenAI’s Codex, leading DeepMind engineers to receive permission to use Claude Code for their work.
- DeepMind has formed a new AI coding team that includes Nobel laureate John Jumper, who is expected to help develop an upcoming update to the Antigravity coding platform at I/O.
- Google continues to lead in AI for science, having released the AI co‑scientist and AlphaEvolve tools, and may announce additional scientific AI offerings at the conference.
- Google announced its AI‑powered Health Coach will be publicly available tomorrow, focusing on fitness and diet advice rather than clinical medical guidance.
- Google faced internal dissent when 600 DeepMind employees sent a letter protesting a Department of Defense contract, yet the company signed the deal the following day.
Why it matters: Developers risk losing a competitive edge because Google’s coding AI has fallen behind Anthropic’s Claude Code and OpenAI’s Codex, while the company’s new scientific and health AI tools target researchers and consumers seeking advanced AI assistance in fields ranging from drug discovery to personal wellness.
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