Every year, Google’s I/O developer conference sets the stage for the company’s biggest announcements and unveils a glimpse into the future of its products and technologies.
This year’s I/O, held on May 14th, 2024, was no different.
From advancements in artificial intelligence to the next iteration of the Android operating system, Google showcased a range of innovations poised to shape the way we interact with technology in the coming years.
1. Project Astra: An everyday AI companion
Project Astra introduces Google’s vision for the next generation of AI assistants. These assistants aim to feel more natural to interact with by understanding the world through sight and sound. They can remember context and respond quickly, potentially allowing users to ask questions about their surroundings in real-time or have the assistant generate creative text formats on the fly.
In the video where the company showed us what Google Project Astra can do during the event, it made us ask whether Google Glass will join us again or not.
2. Google Search evolves with Gemini integration
A significant upgrade is coming to Google Search, powered by Gemini. This custom AI model equips Search with the ability to answer complex questions, plan trips and meals, brainstorm ideas, and even understand video queries.
Users can expect a more intuitive and helpful search experience even on our smartphones thanks to Gemini Nano.
3. Veo: Google’s answer to Sora
Creating high-quality cinematic videos is about to become more accessible. Google Veo is a powerful AI tool that understands user intent and even film terminology. It can generate videos in various styles with realistic movement, allowing creators to experiment and push the boundaries of AI video generation.
It wouldn’t be wrong to interpret Veo as a direct competition call to OpenAI’s Sora, the other company that comes to mind when it comes to AI innovation.
4. Introducing Gems: Custom GPTs of Gemini
Google is enhancing its Gemini AI with several new capabilities. One of the most notable additions is a feature named “Gems”.
Gems allows users to create personalized versions of the Gemini assistant, enabling them to tailor the assistant’s responses and interactions to their specific needs and preferences.
Gems empowers users to create various AI companions focused on assisting with specific tasks. These companions can be designed with distinct characteristics, similar to services like Character.AI where users interact with virtual versions of public figures or fictional characters. Google highlights the potential for Gems to act as a gym companion, a sous-chef, a coding collaborator, a creative writing mentor, or any other role a user might find helpful.
Just like with Veo, we can say that Google showed its teeth on OpenAI’s Custom GPTs.
5. A smarter workspace with Gemini 1.5 Pro
The way you work is about to get a boost with Gemini integration in Google Workspace. The powerful Gemini 1.5 Pro brings new features to your email experience. Imagine having your emails summarized, receiving suggested replies, and getting answers to questions about your inbox, all supported in more languages.
Can Google topple Microsoft’s Copilot? It’s too early to say anything yet, but we all know very well how powerful Gemini 1.5 Pro is so the possibility is definitely there.
These advancements highlight the potential of Gemini AI. As Google continues to develop this technology, we can expect AI to seamlessly integrate into our lives, potentially making them both smarter and more efficient.
If you have missed the action, here is Google’s summary of the event on YouTube:
Featured image credit: Google/YouTube
