diff --git a/.github/workflows/approve-readme.yaml b/.github/workflows/approve-readme.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e2d841d6c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/approve-readme.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+on:
+  pull_request:
+name: auto-merge-readme
+jobs:
+  approve:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    if: github.repository_owner == 'googleapis' && github.head_ref == 'autosynth-readme'
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/github-script@v3.0.0
+        with:
+          github-token: ${{secrets.YOSHI_APPROVER_TOKEN}}
+          script: |
+            // only approve PRs from yoshi-automation
+            if (context.payload.pull_request.user.login !== "yoshi-automation") {
+              return;
+            }
+
+            // only approve PRs like "chore: release <release version>"
+            if (!context.payload.pull_request.title === "chore: regenerate README") {
+              return;
+            }
+
+            // only approve PRs with README.md and synth.metadata changes
+            const files = new Set(
+              (
+                await github.paginate(
+                  github.pulls.listFiles.endpoint({
+                    owner: context.repo.owner,
+                    repo: context.repo.repo,
+                    pull_number: context.payload.pull_request.number,
+                  })
+                )
+              ).map(file => file.filename)
+            );
+            if (files.size != 2 || !files.has("README.md") || !files.has(".github/readme/synth.metadata/synth.metadata")) {
+              return;
+            }
+
+            // approve README regeneration PR
+            await github.pulls.createReview({
+              owner: context.repo.owner,
+              repo: context.repo.repo,
+              body: 'Rubber stamped PR!',
+              pull_number: context.payload.pull_request.number,
+              event: 'APPROVE'
+            });
+
+            // attach automerge label
+            await github.issues.addLabels({
+              owner: context.repo.owner,
+              repo: context.repo.repo,
+              issue_number: context.payload.pull_request.number,
+              labels: ['automerge']
+            });
diff --git a/.kokoro/build.sh b/.kokoro/build.sh
index 9d846e7bd..9af679e46 100755
--- a/.kokoro/build.sh
+++ b/.kokoro/build.sh
@@ -69,9 +69,16 @@ integration)
     RETURN_CODE=$?
     ;;
 samples)
-    if [[ -f samples/pom.xml ]]
+    SAMPLES_DIR=samples
+    # only run ITs in snapshot/ on presubmit PRs. run ITs in all 3 samples/ subdirectories otherwise.
+    if [[ ! -z ${KOKORO_GITHUB_PULL_REQUEST_NUMBER} ]]
     then
-        pushd samples
+      SAMPLES_DIR=samples/snapshot
+    fi
+
+    if [[ -f ${SAMPLES_DIR}/pom.xml ]]
+    then
+        pushd {SAMPLES_DIR}
         mvn -B \
           -Penable-samples \
           -DtrimStackTrace=false \
diff --git a/synth.metadata b/synth.metadata
index b45df025f..86c992c6b 100644
--- a/synth.metadata
+++ b/synth.metadata
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
       "git": {
         "name": ".",
         "remote": "https://github.com/googleapis/java-video-intelligence.git",
-        "sha": "e6adda4a3d9ca8cb685e65ee57151481b4d46597"
+        "sha": "4dfc13bb1000d38d79c9c1e0b7cbd925c56856ed"
       }
     },
     {
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
       "git": {
         "name": "synthtool",
         "remote": "https://github.com/googleapis/synthtool.git",
-        "sha": "b65ef07d99946d23e900ef2cc490274a16edd336"
+        "sha": "7c5370937dd9ba9dcf9cd7d2af880a58b389b4f1"
       }
     }
   ],
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@
     ".github/readme/synth.py",
     ".github/release-please.yml",
     ".github/trusted-contribution.yml",
+    ".github/workflows/approve-readme.yaml",
     ".github/workflows/auto-release.yaml",
     ".github/workflows/ci.yaml",
     ".github/workflows/formatting.yaml",