Google is set to enhance its Gemini AI for consumers in 2025, as expressed by CEO Sundar Pichai during a recent strategy meeting with employees both at the Mountain View headquarters and those attending remotely. The company is contending with rising competition from firms like Perplexity and OpenAI, as new AI technologies are transforming how web search functions. Additionally, Google is facing increased scrutiny from federal regulators this year.
“I believe that 2025 will be a pivotal year,” Pichai stated during the meeting. “It’s crucial that we grasp the urgency of our current situation and accelerate our efforts as a business. The stakes are substantial. These are moments of significant upheaval. In 2025, our focus must be on harnessing the benefits of this technology and addressing genuine user needs.”
In line with this vision, Pichai revealed that Google will roll out several new AI features in the first half of the upcoming year, along with updates on the eagerly awaited Project Asta.
Despite experiencing robust growth and revenue from search advertising and cloud services, Google might face significant challenges to its industry leadership due to recent legal outcomes. In August, a federal judge ruled against Google in an antitrust lawsuit filed by the Department of Justice, along with 38 state attorneys general, concluding that the company unlawfully maintains a monopoly in the search and text markets.
Following this, in November, the DOJ requested that Google consider divesting its Chrome browser division. The company is also under pressure from the U.K.’s Competition and Markets Authority, which in September claimed that Google has hurt competition by leveraging its dominance in online display advertising to benefit its own ad tech services.
“I recognize that we are under scrutiny globally,” Pichai commented. “Such scrutiny is expected with our scale and achievements. It’s part of a wider trend where technology impacts society on a larger scale. Thus, we must ensure that we remain focused and not be sidetracked during this time.”
Pichai highlighted the positive momentum behind the Gemini app, particularly in recent months, but acknowledged that there is still work to be done in 2025 to solidify a leadership position in the sector. Google is already heavily investing in AI initiatives, a trend anticipated to continue next year.
“Our primary focus next year will be scaling Gemini for consumers,” he emphasized.
