Gratitude, a Glimpse of the Future, and the Need for a Nap After an Incredible I/O 2025.

Reflections from a Whirlwind Google I/O

What a week! Google I/O 2025 has wrapped, and to say it was a whirlwind would be an understatement. The energy, the announcements, the sheer volume of innovation packed into two days – it’s a lot to take in, and honestly, I’m still processing it all.

This I/O was particularly special for me and my team as we unveiled a significant update to Project Mariner, our research prototype exploring the future of human-agent interaction, starting with browsers. Seeing Sundar announce it on the keynote stage was a surreal moment, a culmination of so much hard work from so many dedicated teams across Google. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve built and deeply grateful for the collaboration that brought this vision to life.

The Human Element of Innovation

Beyond the announcements, what truly stood out was the human connection. We had the fantastic opportunity to demo Project Mariner to members of the press all day during I/O. It’s always a unique (and yes, slightly nerve-wracking!) shift to go from deep product development to sharing that work with the world.

We also had our very own Project Mariner booth just outside the AI Sandbox. It was incredible to see a steady stream of attendees stop by, ask questions, and light up as they experienced the demos firsthand. Having almost the entire core team there, sleeves rolled up, demoing and engaging with the community, was a powerful experience. These are the moments that fuel our passion.

And, of course, no major launch is complete without celebrating the team. We had a wonderful team dinner to decompress and connect after the intensity of I/O. It was a perfect way to acknowledge the immense effort everyone poured in, especially before many had to catch flights back home. These team-building moments are so important - and honestly mean so much to me.

Another personal highlight was getting to be part of an amazing panel of speakers that included Tulsee Doshi (Sr. Director & Head of Product - Gemini Model), Mat Velloso (VP of Product - AI Developer Platform @ Google DeepMind), Chris Struhar (VP Product @ Google Gemini), and Robby Stein (VP, Product @ Google Search). I got to talk about how we build products in Google Labs, my thoughts on the evolution of AI agents, and even some exciting (and speculative!) ideas about what we might see in 2026. It was a fantastic discussion, and I’m looking forward to sharing more takeaways from that conversation soon!

And speaking of incredible experiences, the TPU thank-you gift I received for participating in this – definitely the coolest (and heaviest) conference swag I’ve ever received!

The Power of the Post-Mortem (Even a Quick One)

Before that dinner, we held a "team retrospective." Even in the midst of the post-I/O buzz, taking that moment to reflect was invaluable. We celebrated the wins, appreciated each other's contributions, and also got a chance to voice things that perhaps didn't go as smoothly as we'd hoped – all crucial learnings for next time.

I can't recommend this practice enough. For anyone launching products or completing big projects, carving out time for a retrospective, even a brief one, is so important. It’s how we grow, refine, and make the next endeavor even better.

Leading up to I/O, I shared a thought about the importance of overcommunication during high-stakes launches. That certainly held true! The clarity and repetition, ensuring everyone was on the same page, was absolutely critical to navigating the final stretch.

More to Come

There’s so much more to unpack from I/O - and I have many more thoughts to share. I’m looking forward to diving deeper into specific topics in the coming days and weeks, once I’ve had a chance to catch my breath (and maybe a little sleep!).

For now, a huge thank you to everyone who made Google I/O 2025 such a memorable and inspiring event – my incredible colleagues, our collaborators, and the vibrant developer community. The future we’re building together is bright.