Google CEO Sundar Pichai has outlined ambitious goals for 2025, calling it an important year for the company amid rapid advances in artificial intelligence (AI). Addressing employees during a strategy meeting at Google’s Mountain View headquarters, Pichai stressed the urgency of adapting to the rapidly evolving technological landscape, citing the importance of delivering innovative solutions and maintaining focus. “The stakes are huge,” Pichai commented, CNBC reported. “These are disruptive moments. In 2025, we need to continuously focus on highlighting the benefits of this technology and solving real user problems.

At the center of Google’s strategy for 2025 is its AI initiative, Gemini. The app, designed to offer versatile tools including chatbots and other consumer-facing applications, is seen as central to Google’s efforts to remain competitive in the generative AI market. Pichai stressed the importance of selling Gemini for the goal of 500 million users and placing it among Google’s flagship products.

“Advancing Gemini on the consumer side will be our biggest focus next year,” he said. “We have seen strong momentum recently, but work remains to close the gap and establish a leadership position.”

DeepMind co-founder Demis Hassabis elaborated on Gemini’s vision, describing the plan to scale its capabilities into a universal assistant adaptable to any device, domain or modality. He also hinted at an update to Google’s experimental AI assistant Project Astra, expected in the first half of 2025.

While Google remains the leader in search, it faces increasing competition from rivals such as Microsoft-backed OpenAI and other AI-powered search tools. Addressing this competitive pressure, Pichai reassured employees that being “first” is not always necessary for success.

“In history, you don’t always have to be the first, but you have to do well as a product and really be the best in its category,” he explained. “This is what 2025 is all about.”

Google also showcased emerging AI-powered products during the meeting. Josh Woodward, head of Google Labs, demonstrated tools like coding assistant Jules; NotebookLM, an AI-powered note-taking tool integrated with Podcasts; and Project Mariner, a Chrome extension designed to streamline multitasking. These innovations highlight Google’s commitment to developing practical and impactful solutions for users.

Despite the company’s focus on AI, Google faces increasing regulatory challenges. In 2024, it was accused of monopolistic practices in search and advertising. Pichai acknowledged the investigation but urged employees not to lose focus.

“I didn’t understand that we were facing worldwide scrutiny,” he said. “It comes with our size and success. But in this moment, we have to make sure we don’t get distracted.

Reflecting the ingenuity of Google’s founders during the company’s early days, Pichai also encouraged employees to adopt a resourceful mindset. “Obstacles often lead to creativity. Not all problems are solved by headcount,” he said, referring to recent cost-cutting measures.

As Google moves into this transformational period, Pichai’s message is clear: accelerate innovation, execute effectively and stay focused on delivering a world-class product.