At Google Cloud Next 2025, Sundar Pichai and other leaders shifted the conversation from what AI could do to what it’s already doing. The keynote centered on how companies across industries are using Google’s AI tools to address real operational challenges, improving customer service, enhancing learning outcomes, and even shaping the design of consumer products.

The examples shared at the event made it clear: AI is now a core part of how many organizations operate. It’s driving decisions in product development, customer engagement, logistics, and back-office processes.

Well beyond experimental rollouts, companies are now delivering mature, in-production solutions with concrete results. As a result, AI is becoming less of a specialized capability and more of a foundational layer in how modern enterprises compete and deliver value.

Why It Matters: For CIOs, these examples highlight where enterprise AI is gaining real traction, and where investment is starting to pay off. The takeaway isn’t just that AI works, but that it’s being operationalized in ways that align with existing systems, talent, and business goals. Success with AI now depends as much on internal alignment and process design as it does on model performance. The organizations seeing results are the ones where tech leaders are not only stewards, but active architects of how AI fits into the business.

• Mattel: Data-Driven Toy Design with Vertex AI: Mattel tapped into BigQuery and Vertex AI to mine customer feedback and analyze sentiment around its Barbie product line. Using AI, the company extracted nuanced insights about which features resonated with buyers and what areas needed refinement. The feedback loop directly informed design improvements in products like the Barbie Dreamhouse, demonstrating how real-time data and AI can drive creativity and product-market fit in consumer goods.

• GE Appliances: Enhancing Customer Service with Gemini AI: GE Appliances introduced Gemini AI into its customer service operations to assist support agents with real-time guidance. The AI can access past case histories, generate response suggestions, and even summarize conversations on the fly. This has led to shorter resolution times, more consistent answers, and less cognitive load for staff, making customer support both faster and more human.

• Wendy’s: AI at the Drive-Thru Window: Wendy’s is reimagining the drive-thru experience with generative AI handling customer orders. The system listens to and interprets spoken requests, processes them accurately, and relays them to kitchen staff with minimal delay. The technology helps reduce order errors and wait times, while freeing up human staff for more complex tasks. It’s an example of how conversational AI is being deployed in fast-paced, high-volume environments.

• Cengage: Personalizing the Learning Experience with AI: The education technology company Cengage is using Google Cloud’s AI tools to offer students tailored learning experiences. AI models analyze how students interact with materials and recommend personalized content or pacing to improve comprehension and engagement. The system helps educators identify where students are struggling and adjust accordingly, bringing a more responsive approach to digital education.

• Kaiser Permanente: Reducing Admin Burden for Clinicians: At Kaiser Permanente, AI is helping reduce the administrative workload for healthcare professionals. Google’s models are being used to auto-summarize visit notes, pre-fill documentation, and generate follow-up summaries. This gives doctors more time with patients and less time with paperwork, improving both patient care and provider satisfaction in a system where burnout is a major concern.

Go Deeper -> Google Cloud Next 25 – Google