Google’s AI Updates For Search, Discover, Meet, & Calendar, & YouTube Reforms

Over the past few weeks, Google has been infusing artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities across its products, bringing users a wide range of features, capabilities, and even new applications.

This included making Chrome an AI browser by adding Gemini, which came with 10 major updates.

More recently, the tech giant debuted Gemini Enterprise, which unifies Google’s Gemini models, agent orchestration, and integrations with tools such as Salesforce, Teams, and Jira. Google even dubbed it “the new front door for AI in the workplace.”

Now, Google has announced a laundry list of updates that bank on its AI prowess.
 

Search And Discover

Google revealed two new AI-powered features in Search and Discover that will help users connect with fresh content and links from across the web.

Discover’s updates will show users brief previews that can be expanded for more information. It will also come with links for further exploration on the web. This feature has rolled out in the U.S., South Korea and India.

Search will make it easier for users to keep up with the latest sports news with a “What’s new” button that reveals a feed of trending updates and articles. This will roll out for U.S. users in the coming weeks.

Google also said it is grouping text ads on the search results page under a single “Sponsored results” label that will stay visible as people scroll on the page. It also applies to other ad units on the search results page.

However, Google will be adding a new “Hide sponsored results” feature that collapses text ads with a single click, allowing users to focus on organic results.

This new design maintains the size of ads as it was, and the company promises users will not see more than four text ads in a grouping.

It will be rolling out globally on desktop and mobile.

 

Google Meet

Last year, Google introduced Touch-up in Google Meet (web) to offer users more control over their appearance in video calls.

Now, it’s bringing 12 new studio makeup looks, spanning polished, professional appearances to more expressive flair looks.

“Your AI-powered makeup remains seamless and untouched—even through everyday movements like sipping your coffee or touching your face,” says Google.

This feature will be available to users of Google Workspace (Business Standard, Plus; Enterprise Starter, Standard, Plus; Education Plus, Teaching & Learning add-on; and Enterprise Essentials, as well as Google One and Google Workspace Individual subscribers. It will begin with a gradual rollout that could take up to 15 days for feature visibility.

 

Calendar

Google’s new Gemini-powered Help me schedule feature in Gmail can detect when a user is trying to coordinate a time to meet in an email and display a Help me schedule button in the toolbar.

Once clicked, Gemini will automatically suggest ideal slots based on a user’s availability, drawing insight from their Calendar and email context and time requirements. Users can customize the times that Gemini suggests and can remove or add additional options and insert them into their reply mail.

When the recipient confirms a time that works for them, a Calendar invite will automatically be added to both individuals’ calendars.

The availability of this feature will initially support scheduling between two individuals, not groups. It will be available for users of Google Workspace (Business Standard, and Plus; Enterprise Starter, Standard, and Plus; Google AI Pro for Education; and Frontline Plus), as well as Google AI Pro and Ultra and Gemini Business, Enterprise users.

Here, the rollout will be gradual and is expected to be carried out by mid-November.

 

YouTube’s New Visual Experience

Google said that it was bringing a cleaner, more immersive viewing experience that’s vibrant, dynamic, enjoyable, and engaging to YouTube. This meant the rollout of several “new features and visual updates designed to provide a more engaging YouTube experience that’s easier to navigate and more fun to interact with.”

The company is updating its video player across mobile, web, and TV devices, bringing updated controls and new icons.

Its ‘Seek’ feature has been revamped, with the double-tap to skip feature being made more modern and less intrusive. With seamless transitions on mobile, users will enjoy a more seamless experience as they move between tabs.

Other updates include custom like button animations for select videos; smoother experiences when saving videos to their Watch Later list or adding them to playlists; and a structured system for comment replies that makes it easier to follow conversations.


YouTube also revealed its new dedicated section for mental health and well-being content specifically designed for teens. The idea is to make it easier for users aged 13-17 to find relevant information on topics such as depression, anxiety, ADHD, and eating disorders.

This feature will be rolling out for teens in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Mexico, France, and Australia in the coming weeks.
 

$15 Billion AI Hub Investment

Google announced plans to invest approximately $15 billion over the next five years (2026-2030) to build the company’s and India’s first AI hub in Visakhapatnam (Vizag), Andhra Pradesh.

Google will partner with India’s Bharti Airtel (Airtel) and AdaniConneX for this landmark initiative.

The AI hub comprises powerful gigawatt-scale data center operations, new large-scale energy sources, and an expanded subsea fiber-optic network, and will include a purpose-built data center campus capable of gigawatt-scale compute capacity.

“Meeting the demands of India’s AI Mission requires cutting-edge infrastructure, computational power and ubiquitous connectivity,” said Thomas Kurian, CEO, Google Cloud. “Working with Airtel, we will deliver next-generation AI services and create the essential digital backbone required to power inclusive growth across India.”

“This partnership with Google is a defining moment in India’s digital future,” said Gopal Vittal, Airtel’s Vice Chairman and Managing Director. “By combining world-class AI infrastructure with our nation’s extraordinary talent and also expanding global connectivity, we are laying the foundation for India to become a leader in the AI-driven era.”

Do you think these AI-powered updates and heavy investments will help Google capture a leading position in the AI sector and outshine its competitors?

Let us know in the comments below!