Google has unveiled a series of updates and new features during its I/O 2024 event, with a strong emphasis on artificial intelligence (AI) advancements. The event showcased the integration of Google’s Gemini AI models into various applications, including Workspace and Chrome, and introduced several new capabilities.
Enhanced Google Lens and Photos Integration
Google Lens now supports video-based searches, allowing users to record a video, ask questions during the recording, and receive relevant answers from the web through Google’s AI. Additionally, a new feature called “Ask Photos” enables the Gemini AI to analyze users’ Google Photos libraries. This feature can answer specific queries about the photos, such as identifying a license plate number, and provide corresponding images for verification.
Advancements in Gemini AI Models
Google has introduced several updates to its Gemini large language model. For example, the launch of the Gemini 1.5 Flash model, optimized for tasks requiring rapid responses. This model, comparable in power to the Gemini 1.5 Pro, excels in high-frequency, low-latency tasks. Enhancements to Gemini 1.5 include improved translation, reasoning, and coding capabilities, as well as an increased context window from 1 million to 2 million tokens. The Gemini 1.5 Pro model will be integrated into Google Workspace applications, offering functionalities such as summarizing Google Meet recordings and assisting with email composition by incorporating information from other documents.
New AI Tools and Features
Google’s Project Astra aims to create a multimodal AI assistant capable of understanding and acting on visual input from device cameras. This project underpins many of the innovative demonstrations at I/O 2024. Additionally, Google has introduced Veo, a generative AI model for creating 1080p videos from text, image, and video prompts. Veo is currently available to select YouTube creators and is being marketed to the film industry.
The new “Gems” feature allows users to create custom chatbots tailored to specific needs, such as a motivational running coach. Gemini Live enhances voice interactions with AI, making conversations more natural and allowing real-time visual analysis through smartphone cameras. Integration with Google Calendar, Tasks, and Keep further extends Gemini’s capabilities.
AI-Powered Enhancements for Android and Chrome
Android devices will benefit from AI-powered scam detection, utilizing the Gemini Nano AI to identify suspicious call patterns and issue real-time warnings. Future updates will enable users to query videos on-screen and receive answers based on automatic captions. Paid Gemini Advanced users will also be able to extract information from PDFs.
Google announced a new tool that uses its Gemini AI to detect scam calls in real-time. The AI will monitor calls from potential spam numbers and alert users if anything suspicious is said during the conversation. The feature was demonstrated with a fake bank representative calling the presenter. When the scammer asked to transfer money to a different account, the AI flagged it as a scam.
The AI would also alert users if sensitive information like PINs or passwords were requested. This scam detection tool showcases another practical application of AI and could be particularly beneficial for vulnerable individuals who might not easily recognize scam attempts. The feature will not launch with Android 15. Google plans to provide more details later this year and confirmed that users would need to opt-in. The processing will be handled on the device to ensure security.
Last Updated on November 7, 2024 8:26 pm CET
