What to Expect from Google I/O 2026: AI and Android 17

The tech world is gearing up for developer conference season, and the biggest date on the calendar is undoubtedly Google I/O 2026. Scheduled for May 19 and 20, the event will once again take place in Mountain View, California. While the opening keynote is where we expect the flashy consumer announcements, the developer sessions later in the day often reveal the true roadmap for Google’s entire ecosystem.

As you might have guessed, AI is going to be the undisputed star of the show. Google has already confirmed that breakthroughs in Gemini will be front and center. We are likely looking at the potential debut of Gemini 4, alongside significant updates to the Veo text-to-video model. There is also a lot of buzz surrounding Project Astra, Google’s ambitious universal AI assistant that aims to be more intuitive and helpful than any voice assistant we have used before.

On the software side, Android 17 will certainly make its first major appearance. While Google has recently moved toward "Pixel Drops" for minor updates, I/O remains the primary stage where developers get the first real look at the next big OS version. However, the most intriguing rumor involves "Aluminium OS." This project reportedly aims to unify Android and ChromeOS into a single, cohesive platform. If Google starts showing this off, it could mark a massive shift in how we interact with laptops and tablets in the near future.

When it comes to hardware, don't hold your breath for the Pixel 11 just yet. Google usually saves its flagship phones for the fall to avoid clashing with Apple’s September events. Instead, we might see new Android XR devices or a few surprises from Alphabet’s "moonshot" factory, X. Whether it is 3D video conferencing like Google Beam or a new wearable, we are hoping for a surprise that reminds us why we love following these keynotes.