Project Astra Extends to Google Search, Gemini, and Developer Platforms

At Google I/O 2025, the company announced that Project Astra—its low-latency, multimodal AI experience—will now enhance a variety of new features within Search, the Gemini AI app, and third-party developer products.
One of the most visible applications is a new Search Live feature integrated into Google Search. Users in AI Mode, Google's AI-driven search function, or using Lens, its visual search tool, can activate the "Live" button to ask questions about what their smartphone camera captures. Project Astra streams live video and audio directly into an AI model, delivering near-instant responses to user inquiries.
Initially introduced at Google I/O 2024 in a viral smart glasses demonstration, Project Astra emerged from Google DeepMind as a showcase for near real-time, multimodal AI. Google has now confirmed it is developing these Project Astra smart glasses with partners such as Samsung and Warby Parker, though a specific launch date has not yet been set. In the meantime, the company is rolling out several Project Astra-powered features for both consumers and developers.
Google also revealed that Project Astra now enhances its Live API, a developer-oriented endpoint designed for low-latency voice interactions with Gemini. Starting today, developers can create experiences that incorporate audio and visual inputs along with native audio output—similar to Project Astra. The updated Live API also includes improved emotion recognition, enabling the AI model to provide more context-aware responses, and incorporates reasoning capabilities from Gemini's advanced AI models.
Within the Gemini app, Google is expanding Project Astra’s real-time video and screen-sharing features to all users. While Gemini Live already leverages Project Astra for fluid, low-latency conversations, visual input was previously limited to paying subscribers.
Google appears convinced that Project Astra represents the future for many of its products—and could even pioneer a new category of smart glasses. Despite this vision, the company has yet to announce a launch date for the Project Astra smart glasses demoed last year. Although additional design and functionality details have been shared, the product still seems a long way from consumer availability.
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At Google I/O 2025, the company announced that Project Astra—its low-latency, multimodal AI experience—will now enhance a variety of new features within Search, the Gemini AI app, and third-party developer products.
One of the most visible applications is a new Search Live feature integrated into Google Search. Users in AI Mode, Google's AI-driven search function, or using Lens, its visual search tool, can activate the "Live" button to ask questions about what their smartphone camera captures. Project Astra streams live video and audio directly into an AI model, delivering near-instant responses to user inquiries.
Initially introduced at Google I/O 2024 in a viral smart glasses demonstration, Project Astra emerged from Google DeepMind as a showcase for near real-time, multimodal AI. Google has now confirmed it is developing these Project Astra smart glasses with partners such as Samsung and Warby Parker, though a specific launch date has not yet been set. In the meantime, the company is rolling out several Project Astra-powered features for both consumers and developers.
Google also revealed that Project Astra now enhances its Live API, a developer-oriented endpoint designed for low-latency voice interactions with Gemini. Starting today, developers can create experiences that incorporate audio and visual inputs along with native audio output—similar to Project Astra. The updated Live API also includes improved emotion recognition, enabling the AI model to provide more context-aware responses, and incorporates reasoning capabilities from Gemini's advanced AI models.
Within the Gemini app, Google is expanding Project Astra’s real-time video and screen-sharing features to all users. While Gemini Live already leverages Project Astra for fluid, low-latency conversations, visual input was previously limited to paying subscribers.
Google appears convinced that Project Astra represents the future for many of its products—and could even pioneer a new category of smart glasses. Despite this vision, the company has yet to announce a launch date for the Project Astra smart glasses demoed last year. Although additional design and functionality details have been shared, the product still seems a long way from consumer availability.
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