Good morning, tech enthusiasts. Google’s biggest developer conference, Google I/O 2025, kicks off today, with AI set to be the star of the show.

As tech giants vie for dominance in the AI arena, this year’s event promises a showcase of cutting-edge innovations — offering not just a window into Google’s future but a preview of the AI-powered tech set to transform our everyday lives.

In today’s tech rundown:

• Google I/O kicks off, and it’s all about AI

• China starts building a supercomputer in space

• TikTok wants teens to stop scrolling and meditate

• Airbnb aims to be an ‘everything app’

• Quick hits on other major news

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS

GOOGLE

☁️ Google I/O kicks off, and it’s all about AI

Image source: Google

The Rundown: Google’s biggest developer conference, I/O 2025, starts today with AI firmly in the spotlight — promising major upgrades to Gemini, new agentic tools like Project Astra, and deeper integration across Android, Search, and XR.

The details:

• The spotlight will be on Google’s Gemini AI, with new features, smarter models, and deeper integration into Google TV, Wear OS 6, and more.

• Demos of Google’s next-gen AI agent, Project Astra, are anticipated, highlighting real-time AI capabilities and integration with smart glasses.

• While some Android 16 features were revealed last week, more details are expected today, including security, privacy, and accessibility features.

• Announcements about Google’s XR platform and the debut of its smart glasses— likely featuring a live on-stage demo — are also expected.

Why it matters: Googlers are anticipating the reveal of the Project Moohan XR platform and the introduction of the new Material 3 design language. But more than anything, this year’s I/O is marked by Google’s ambitious push to make AI central to everything it does—positioning itself to lead the next era of technology..

ADA SPACE

🚀 China starts building a supercomputer in space

Image source: China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation

The Rundown: China just launched the first 12 satellites of its ambitious 2,800-satellite “Three-Body Computing Constellation,” marking a major milestone in building the world’s first dedicated orbital supercomputing network.

The details:

• The satellites, developed by ADA Space, can process data directly in orbit using advanced AI, reducing the need to send raw data back to Earth.

• Each satellite can process vast amounts of information, promising a combined computing capacity of 5 peta operations per second (POPS).

• Equipped with an 8B-parameter AI model, each satellite can handle 744 trillion operations per second, with inter-satellite communication at up to 100 Gbps.

• The network will also feature 30TB of onboard storage, supporting real-time, in-orbit data analysis for applications like emergency response and research.

Why it matters: The Chinese space network’s projected capacity of 5 POPS is about three times more powerful than the El Capitan supercomputer. And with plans to scale up to 1,000 POPS, China aims to far exceed the capabilities of any Earth-based system, potentially setting a new benchmark for space-based computing and AI infrastructure.

TIKTOK

😵‍💫 TikTok wants teens to stop scrolling and meditate

Image source: TikTok

The Rundown: In the face of allegations that it lures teens into late-night scrolling, TikTok has launched a new in-app guided meditation feature that activates automatically when a user under 18 is on the app after 10 p.m.

The details:

• The “Meditation in Sleep Hours” tool interrupts your feed with a meditation prompt featuring soothing visuals and music and guided breathing exercises. 

• If teens continue to use the app after the first meditation prompt, they receive a second, full-screen notification that is harder to dismiss.

• Adults can activate the feature at any time from the Screen Time settings within the app and choose their preferred meditation schedule.

• In trials, TikTok said 98% of teens who used the meditation feature chose to keep it enabled, suggesting strong engagement among young users.

Why it matters: TikTok’s introduction of the meditation feature comes as the company faces a wave of lawsuits and mounting criticism over its impact on youth’s mental health with prolonged doomscrolling, especially at night. To counteract the bad buzz, the company has also pledged $2.3M in ad credits to mental health organizations.

AIRBNB

🏡 Airbnb aims to be an ‘everything app’ 

Image source: Airbnb

The Rundown: Airbnb wants to transform itself into an “everything app” by expanding far beyond home rentals to offer a wide range of services and experiences, aiming to become a daily-use lifestyle platform.

The details:

• Airbnb’s 2025 Summer Release marks the first phase of this strategy, introducing a redesigned app and new offerings called Airbnb Services.

• Users can now book a wide range of services, from private chefs to massages, even if they’re not staying in an Airbnb.

• At launch, over 10K vendors are offering services in 260 cities across 30 countries, with plans to expand into hundreds of service categories.

• Airbnb’s Explore tab now lets users browse homes, services, and experiences worldwide, while the revamped Trips tab offers a comprehensive travel itinerary.

Why it matters: Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky has described the shift as similar to Amazon’s evolution from bookseller to the “everything store,” positioning Airbnb to rival global superapps like WeChat and Grab. This strategic shift also addresses emerging competition from generative AI and agent-based travel planning.

QUICK HITS

📰 Everything else in tech today

Chinese electric vehicle battery maker CATL raised at least $4.6B when it debuted on the Hong Kong stock exchange today, marking the world’s biggest IPO this year.

Biotech firm Regeneron is buying genetic testing company 23andMe, once valued at more than $6B, out of bankruptcy for $256M.

Netflix says it will roll out AI-generated ads in 2026 for its ad-supported tier that will play in the middle of a show or whenever users hit pause.

Trump signed the “Take It Down Act,” a bipartisan measure to curtail the distribution of nonconsensual intimate images and AI-generated deepfakes, into law on Monday.

Apple is reportedly preparing to let iPhone users in the EU designate third-party voice assistants such as Amazon’s Alexa or Google Assistant as the system default over Siri.

Nikola, a hydrogen trucking company, is up for auction after filing for bankruptcy, with $114M worth of hydrogen trucks and material up for sale.

Aurora Innovation reversed its recent move to operate fully driverless trucks in Texas by placing a human observer back in the driver’s seat.

AI startup Doji raised $14M in seed funding for an app that lets users instantly try on any clothing they can link to, creating photo-realistic virtual fashion avatars. 

Waymo, a subsidiary of Alphabet, received California’s approval to expand its driverless ride-hailing service to include San Jose and parts of the South Bay. 

Revolut, a British fintech company that generated $3.8B in revenue last year, announced plans to invest over $1.1B in France over the next three years.

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See you soon,

Rowan, Jennifer, and Joey—The Rundown’s editorial team