At this year's Google I/O, where technology wore the clothes of the future and danced to the rhythms of artificial intelligence, we witnessed a true technological carnival. From new devices that can almost be mistaken for pets, to operating systems that promise to forever change the way we play, work and maybe even dream.
This year's Google I/O was like a visit to the future, where every Pixel counts and where Wear OS 5 promises to make your smartwatch a better friend than your dog. With the introduction of Android 15, which can now even send SMS when you're out of signal, it seems that Google is no longer just making operating systems, but also a magic wand.
While some were hoping to see the new Pixel 9, they had to make do with the Pixel 8a, which was unveiled before the event itself. This little marvel of technology hit the scene with a price that still sounds like music to the ears of budget users – just $499. But is it just old wines in new bottles?
Google really showed off its AI love this time around, with every corner of I/O redolent of new AI features, from search, Chrome, to Maps and G Suite. AI was like a good old friend who you always look forward to, but sometimes you don't know if he's coming for coffee or if he'll stay for dinner.
Among the more surprising news was Wear OS 5, which promises that your smartwatch will soon be more fashionable than the latest collection at Paris Fashion Week. If these predictions hold true, we may soon be wearing our smartwatches to dinner rather than just jogging.
Google I/O 2024 presented a series of interesting projects and innovations that promise to revolutionize the use of artificial intelligence and other technologies. Here is a detailed description of each project mentioned at the event:
- Gemini AI: Gemini AI has advanced to the point of allowing interruptions while answering and adapting to the user's speech patterns. This allows for a more natural interaction with the AI.
- Android 15 AI Powered Search: Android 15 introduces AI-powered search directly on users' devices, enabling users to find information faster and more accurately and better understand the context of their queries.
- Gemini Context Aware: This feature allows Gemini AI to anticipate the user's needs and offer relevant suggestions tailored to the user's current activities.
- Project Astra: Project Astra brings improvements in video understanding and data processing speed. Once the feature is integrated, Gemini AI will be able to see and respond to the user's environment in real time through the camera.
- Personalized Gemini AI Gems: Users will be able to create custom "Gems" or experts on any topic they are interested in. These Gems allow for easy setup and custom usage.
- Circle to Search: This feature allows students and other users to highlight a piece of text or content they are stuck on and get instant help, including step-by-step instructions, right on their devices.
- Gemini Nano with Multimodality: Gemini Nano extends AI capabilities by enabling devices to understand the world the way humans do – through text, visual, audio and speech inputs.
- Gemini 1.5 Pro to Google Workspace: Improvements to Google Workspace with Gemini 1.5 Pro, especially Gmail, where it can summarize emails from specific senders and extract highlights from Google Meet recordings.
- Project Astra and AI agents: Introducing the Astra project, which aims to create a universal AI agent to help in everyday life. It includes advanced AI agents capable of thinking, planning, and memorizing to perform tasks in a variety of user-controlled systems.
- Generative video model - Veo: Announcing the next-generation Veo video model, capable of creating high-quality 1080p videos from text, image and video cues, capturing details in a variety of visual and cinematic styles.
- Trillium CPUs: The introduction of the sixth generation of CPUs named Trillium, which boasts a 4.7 times improvement in computing power per chip compared to its predecessor, improving Google's technical infrastructure.
- Gemini 1.5 Flash: Introducing Gemini 1.5 Flash, a lighter model designed for speed and cost-effectiveness that still includes multi-modality reasoning capabilities and support for long contexts.
- AI Reviews in Google Search: Introducing AI reviews in Google Search to handle complex queries, enabling fast, comprehensive answers and soon the ability to process video queries.
- Gemini for Workspace: Gemini updates to Workspace that improve its usability in business and personal contexts with new features such as comparing documents directly from the inbox.
- The Gemma family of open models: Introducing the new visual-linguistic model PaliGemma and the upcoming Gemma 2, which includes a 27 billion parameter model that drives innovation and accountability in AI.
- LearnLM models: Unveiling LearnLM, a new family of Gemini-based models specifically tailored for educational purposes, enhancing interactive learning experiences on platforms such as YouTube.
- Red testing for AI security: Deploying red testing to test and improve the security and reliability of AI models, ensuring they are resilient against potential threats.
These announcements reflect Google's ongoing commitment to integrating AI into its services, improving user experience, and maintaining a responsible approach to AI development. The highlighted improvements show significant strides in AI technology to make digital interactions more intuitive, efficient and personalized. These projects demonstrate Google's commitment to further integrating artificial intelligence into everyday technologies, with a focus on personalization, privacy and intuitive use. These innovations aim to improve human-machine interaction and provide more personalized and efficient technology experiences.
Full presentation - Google I/O 2024
In quantum computing and Android Auto, Google has promised more screens and more fluid experiences than your local barista offers with your favorite morning coffee. And while there haven't been any big reveals about the new Pixel 9 or Pixel Fold, we could sense that Google still has an ace up its sleeve that it will show at the right time.
In a world where every new technology is like the latest gossip or fashion accessory, Google I/O 2024 did not disappoint. The future looks bright, or at least lit up with the latest Pixel displays
