Google IO Set the Stage, Claude 4 Stepped Forward
- Chris Howell
- May 27
- 5 min read
Updated: May 28
In one of the most important weeks for artificial intelligence to date, Google and Anthropic unveiled transformative advancements. Google IO 2025 introduced a suite of AI-powered tools, while Anthropic launched Claude 4—its most capable and ethically aligned model yet. These announcements mark a turning point in how AI will shape daily life and work. For Mercia AI and those we serve, this is a moment to harness emerging tools and translate them into real-world impact for small businesses, freelancers, jobseekers, and local communities.
IO 2025. Google have been cooking.
Gemini 2.5 Pro and Flash
Google’s Gemini 2.5 Pro and Flash offer a powerful blend of deep reasoning, coding capabilities, and real-time responsiveness. Gemini Pro excels in data-heavy and strategic tasks, while Flash is optimised for speed and creativity.
For small business owners, these models enable streamlined content creation, customer communication, and admin automation. Jobseekers can draft tailored CVs or applications in minutes. These use cases are central to Mercia AI services like AI Discovery Calls, Strategy Builder sessions, and automation workshops.
Veo 3 and Flow
Veo 3 is Google’s next-gen text-to-video generator. It produces high-quality visuals from simple prompts and uniquely incorporates synthetic voices—allowing creators to add realistic narration or dialogue without voice actors or studio work. Flow expands on Veo, Imagen 4, and Gemini to generate full cinematic sequences.
We're genuinely excited by what Veo 3 represents—a bold glimpse into the future of AI-generated video storytelling. Tools with seamless visuals and lifelike voiceovers could reshape how small businesses and creators approach content. As access expands, we’re watching closely to assess its potential fit for our clients. For now, Mercia AI continues to produce on-brand video using Kling and Sora—delivering value with the best tools currently accessible.
Imagen 4
Imagen 4 sets a new benchmark for generative imagery, producing high-resolution, realistic visuals across various formats. From social media content to brand storytelling, it demonstrates what’s now possible with AI-generated images.
We’re equally excited by Imagen 4’s potential. While early access is still limited, we’re keeping a close eye on its evolution and potential applications for our clients. In the meantime, Mercia AI delivers impactful visuals using ChatGPT 4o and Kling, ensuring every image aligns with our clients’ goals.
AI Mode, Search Live & Project Astra
Google is evolving how people interact with search and AI:
AI Mode turns search into a natural conversation.
Search Live uses your phone’s camera for real-time visual queries.
Project Astra envisions an AI assistant that understands context across voice, video, and tasks.
These are the kinds of developments we explore in Mercia AI’s Innovation & Workplace workshops—helping clients adapt early to changing interfaces and customer experiences.
Google Beam & Workspace Upgrades
Google Beam offers immersive video conferencing that mimics in-person conversation. Meanwhile, Workspace enhancements bring smart replies, AI writing tools, and creative support across Docs, Gmail, Sheets, and Vids.
These tools fit perfectly with Mercia AI’s Growth Hacking Playbook, helping businesses reduce admin, improve collaboration, and enhance creativity.
Anthropic release Claude 4
Claude 4
Claude 4 is the latest generation of models from Anthropic, launched in May 2025. It includes Claude Opus 4 and Claude Sonnet 4—each delivering state-of-the-art performance across coding, reasoning, and AI agent capabilities.
Claude 4 marks a major leap forward for Anthropic. Known for its cautious, ethics-first approach, Claude 4 (and its 4.1 and 4.2 variants) delivers advanced long-context reasoning and transparency.
Key strengths include:
World-class coding capabilities—Claude Opus 4 is considered the world's best coding model, outperforming others on SWE-bench and Terminal-bench. It handles complex, multi-hour or even day-long coding tasks and autonomous agent workflows.
Agentic planning and task execution—Claude 4 excels at maintaining focus across long tasks. It can play extended games (like Pokémon Red for 24 hours) and manage complex project steps, showing remarkable memory and long-term planning.
Hybrid response modes and external tools—It can switch between quick answers and extended step-by-step thinking. It also supports external tool use during deep reasoning, improving quality and precision.
Creative writing and research synthesis—Claude 4 is strong in producing human-like content, conducting agentic searches, and extracting insight from large document sets.
Reliability and safety—Claude 4 is 65% less likely to take shortcuts or use unsafe methods to complete tasks, making it more dependable in autonomous or enterprise settings.
Long-context understanding—ideal for legal, research, and policy use cases.
Clear reasoning paths—including citations and visible thought processes.
Strong safety features—designed for sectors where reliability and trust matter.
For Mercia AI clients in regulated sectors, professional services, or education outreach, Claude is an ideal match. It complements our AI Ethics & Responsibility training and plays a growing role in data analysis and jobseeker support.
Claude 4 is also now available via GitHub Copilot, showing its readiness for real-world deployment. Developers can access its advanced capabilities directly in their workflows—another sign that top-tier AI is moving rapidly into everyday tools.
What About OpenAI? DeepSeek? And xAI?
OpenAI remains a frontrunner with GPT-4 and its multimodal 4o model—but pressure is mounting. Google and Anthropic are pushing boundaries on reasoning, safety, and creativity. Meanwhile, new players like DeepSeek and xAI (Elon Musk’s AI company) are entering the field with promising alternatives.
DeepSeek is gaining recognition for coding and retrieval capabilities. xAI focuses on long-context, logic-rich reasoning with a strong commitment to transparency and open science.
OpenAI is expected to respond with GPT-4.5 or GPT-5. Rumours point to stronger visual input, memory handling, and ethical reasoning. As competition heats up, Mercia AI will continue evaluating all platforms to provide clients with the most suitable tools for their needs.
Until then, GPT-4o remains a core part of our toolkit for content generation, conversational UX, CV reviews, and automation strategies. However, Mercia AI does not rely solely on conversational AI models—we also use a range of specialist tools for image generation, video creation, data analysis, and productivity enhancement, ensuring our solutions are as varied and robust as our clients’ needs.
Why This Matters for Mercia AI Clients
You don’t have to follow every new AI release—we do that for you.
What this means for you:
More tools, more choice—we guide you to the right fit.
Better results—we adapt as models improve.
Smarter strategies—you stay competitive with expert AI use.
Whether you’re a small business, a jobseeker, or a curious learner, Mercia AI helps you use AI responsibly, effectively, and confidently.
AI Is Here—Let’s Make It Work for You
AI isn’t just a trend. It’s reshaping how we work, think, and create. At Mercia AI, we don’t just keep up—we translate change into action.
We turn breakthroughs like Claude 4, Gemini, and Veo into solutions that fit your goals.
Want to explore how today’s top tools can support your business or career? Book a free AI Discovery Call.
Because the future of AI isn’t coming. It’s already here—and it’s full of opportunity.
