Google to unveil AI agent for developers at I/O, expand Gemini integration

Google (Nasdaq:GOOG) is expected to unveil a new AI agent aimed at helping software developers manage tasks across the coding lifecycle, including task execution and documentation.

The tool has reportedly been demonstrated to employees and select external developers ahead of the company’s annual I/O conference, scheduled for May 20 in Mountain View, California, according to a report by The Information.

The report also said that Google is testing voice-enabled interactions powered by its Gemini AI on upcoming XR devices.

These developments highlight Google’s broader strategy to embed generative AI more deeply across its software ecosystem, as the company seeks to deliver measurable returns on its AI investments.

Google’s enterprise AI push

While still emerging, the enterprise AI market is becoming an intense battleground for cloud giants racing to define the future of workplace productivity. Google, though not the first mover, is positioning itself with a potent mix of advantages.

According to IDC, developers spend a significant portion of their time on operational tasks such as performance monitoring, system management, and navigating complex CI/CD pipelines.

“Developers spend approximately only 16% of their time on development, 14% on writing requirements and test cases, and the rest on operational activities, according to an IDC study,” said Sharath Srinivasamurthy, associate vice president of research at IDC. “There is a tremendous opportunity to automate some of these tasks, and agentic AI can play a role in that. Software development is one of the popular use cases for generative AI.”

That opportunity is ripe for companies that can move beyond simple chatbot functionality toward intelligent agents capable of automating real developer workflows. Google appears to be aiming squarely at that gap.

“While Google is a relatively late entrant, it brings formidable strengths — a native cloud-first architecture, deep Workspace integration, and powerful foundation models via Gemini,” said Prabhu Ram, VP of the industry research group at Cybermedia Research. “Its upcoming AI agent represents a strategic shift from passive assistance to active orchestration, aligning with the emerging trend of autonomous workplace agents that proactively execute tasks across workflows.”

A double-edged sword?

While Google’s deeper AI integration promises major productivity gains, it also brings new challenges. As the company embeds AI more tightly across its platforms, enterprise IT leaders would weigh the benefits against potential risks related to control, compliance, and security.

“Google’s deep integration approach offers clear advantages, including centralized policy enforcement, unified audit trails, and streamlined identity management,” Ram said. “However, it also raises important concerns around data sovereignty, model training boundaries, and zero-trust security.”

To win over enterprises, Ram noted, Google will need to go beyond technical performance and prioritize transparency, non-retention of proprietary data, and robust governance frameworks. In the long run, its success in the enterprise space may hinge as much on trust and regulatory alignment as on innovation itself.

Challenging Copilot

Google may lead in product innovation and contextual data, but it must bridge the enterprise trust gap to compete with established rivals like Microsoft’s Copilot, according to Jonty Padia, practice director at Everest Group.

“Microsoft Copilot benefits from deep incumbency, tight integration with legacy systems like SharePoint and Dynamics, and a broad partner ecosystem,” Ram said. “Google’s challenge will be to build enterprise trust quickly, deliver measurable ROI, and differentiate through a more intuitive user experience and AI-driven sophistication.”

Srinivasamurthy added that both companies are well-positioned in terms of developer tools and integration with productivity suites. “I see both of them coming up with technology advancements to make their developers more productive and processes less complex,” he said.

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