Google I/O 2024: Here are the major announcements made

AI took centre stage at Google I/O 2024, with new integrations showcased across many products. The event also emphasised Google's commitment to responsible AI development. Here are the major announcements made.

Android 15 is about to make your device smarter

There were a variety of updates to Android, but a key focus was on-device AI with the new Gemini Nano model.

Get ready to ask questions about videos you watch. Google's Gemini will soon analyse on-screen captions to answer your queries. Plus, for Gemini Advanced subscribers, the update unlocks PDF processing for even more information retrieval. These features, and more ways to interact with different content types (multimodal updates), are coming to Gemini on Android in the next few months.

Scam call alerts are also coming to Android phones. Google's Gemini Nano AI will use its smarts to identify suspicious conversations on your device. Imagine seeing a real-time warning if a caller uses known scammer tactics. This feature, powered by on-device AI, is in development, and Google will share more details later this year.

Google introduced a new feature for Android users that aids in understanding math problems. By circling a problem on the screen, users can receive step-by-step breakdowns from Google's AI. This functionality is designed to assist with learning and problem-solving, not provide immediate solutions, ensuring it doesn't facilitate cheating.

Gemini for Google Workspace

New features were announced for Gemini, including 3 ways to be more productive in Google Workspace. Soon, paid subscribers will have access to Gemini 1.5 Pro, a powerful language model seamlessly integrated into the sidebar of Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drive, and Gmail. This isn't just another extension; it's a full-fledged assistant ready to supercharge their workflow.

Imagine needing a specific detail from a project you worked on months ago. With Gemini 1.5 Pro at your fingertips, you won't have to waste time searching through your Drive. It will seamlessly scan all your Drive content, regardless of where you are in Workspace, to find the information you need. Gemini will also help with composing emails and reminding users to follow up on emails opened.

Gemini AI advancements

There were a number of advancements announced for Gemini overall, including a faster model, longer context understanding, and AI agents. Google expanded its AI toolkit with the introduction of Gemini 1.5 Flash. This newcomer joins the ranks alongside the powerful Gemini 1.5 Pro. While equally capable, Gemini 1.5 Flash excels at handling specific tasks quickly and efficiently.  Imagine getting instant answers to frequently asked questions or completing short, focused commands – that's the speciality of 1.5 Flash.

The original Gemini 1.5 Pro has received a significant upgrade, doubling its information processing capacity. This means it can analyse and understand twice as much data at once, leading to improvements in translation, logic, and even coding abilities.

Google Veo

Google introduced its answer to OpenAI's video generation model: Veo. This AI takes text, images, or even video prompts and transforms them into stunning 1080p videos. Veo can handle a variety of styles with ease and lets users refine the generated video with even more prompts, ensuring your vision comes to life.

This isn't just for YouTubers anymore – Google is even showcasing Veo's potential to Hollywood for use in feature films.  Closely related to this is the launch of VideoFX, a new tool that allows for easy video editing using AI, including features like changing the style of a video or adding special effects.

Gems

Google is launching Gems, a tool for creating custom chatbots using the Gemini AI platform. Similar to OpenAI's GPTs, Gems allows users to tailor Gemini's responses and areas of expertise. Gemini Advanced subscribers will have access to Gems in the near future. This empowers users to create chatbots suited to their specific needs, encompassing a wide range of functionalities.

Google Search gets more AI

Google is bringing "AI Overviews" to all US users this week. Previously known as "Search Generative Experience," AI Overviews aim to simplify search results by presenting summaries and key information directly on the search engine results page (SERP). This functionality utilises a specialised version of Google's AI model, Gemini, to analyse web sources and condense them into concise snippets, similar to features offered by other AI search tools like Perplexity and Arc Search.

Google Chrome gets an AI assistant

Google Chrome for desktops is gaining a boost with the addition of Gemini Nano, a lightweight version of its powerful AI model. This means you'll have on-device AI assistance right at your fingertips. Imagine easily generating text for social media posts, product reviews, and other tasks directly within Chrome.