Search for King: The Discovery Potential of Face-To-Face AI, and a Review of Google‘s vs. ChatGPT
At the annual I/O conference, the search giant said it will use artificial intelligence technology similar to the one used in the popular chatGtp. The company is launching an experimental version of its prized search engine that incorporates text generation like that powering ChatGPT and other advanced chatbots.
A query about the coronation of Britain’s new king might be met with a couple of paragraphs summarizing the event. Bullet-points from product reviews published on websites will be listed in the search results if a user is interested in e bikes. The revamped version of search will be accessible in the US via a new feature called Search Labs, but it will not be activated by default or for all Google users.
The new technology is very early on and will make mistakes, according to the vice president of search at Goggle, who gave WIRED a preview of new features ahead of I/O.
ChatGPT is powered by a machine learning model trained to predict the words likely to follow a string of text by digesting huge amounts of text, including vast numbers of web pages. Additional training, provided by humans rating the quality of the bot’s responses, made ChatGPT more adept at answering questions and holding a conversation.
At the I/O keynote, in addition to introducing a new name for its suite of tools that feature artificial intelligence, they said it was called Duet AI. While these Workspace features let you do things like compose an email or generate images from text in Slides, they’re currently only available to those who sign up for its waitlist.
Google’s pitching the service as a way to enhance photos, but the potential is there to make really any edit to a photo at all. It is possible to adjust a photo to move people around, or even add elements to a frame that are not there in real life, so it is not hard to imagine this going crazy. Google hasn’t said whether the manipulated photographs will be labeled as such, though it did mention it would be watermarking images that were entirely generated by computers.
Google I/O Keynote Summary: Artificial Intelligence Updates and New AI-powered Feature Additions to Android 14.2 and 14.3
A lot of people are ending their searches with “Reddit” because of the new Perspectives feature, which sources answers from many sites.
At its I/O keynote, where most of the updates to the Pixel lineup were announced, there were also displays of the latest advances in Artificial Intelligence. If you didn’t get a chance to watch the event live, we’ve rounded up all of the biggest news that came out of the Google I/O keynote.
The cheapest folding phone in the world, the Pixel Fold, is a staggering $1,700. There is a wide, full front screen that offers up an almost normal experience, and the phone is thin compared to the Z Fold4. You get a 7.6-inch screen when you open it up. We’ve got a hands-on report where you can read more about the Fold. Pre orders are open now, but it ships in June.
The updated version of a large language model, called PaLM 2, was announced in the same session as these snapshots. The new model is already powering 25 Google services, including the company’s Bard chatbot, and comes with improvements in reasoning, coding, and translation.
There are new dark mode and visual search features as well, and Google plans on adding even more functionality in the future. That includes AI image generation that uses Adobe’s AI image generator, called Firefly, as well as integrations with third-party services like OpenTable and Instacart.
Artificial Intelligence is not just coming for search. Google has announced that it’s also bringing new AI-powered features to Android 14. Magic Compose is one of the features that will live within the Messages app.
Next month, you can personalize your device’s wallpaper with generative AI thanks to a new feature from Google. Instead of picking from a set of premade options, you’ll be able to describe an image, which your device will then generate using Google’s text-to-image diffusion model.
Google Home Redesigned: A Review of the Playground for a Better, Smarter, Better, Less Powerful Android Home on Android
Better smart home integrations will let you adjust lighting, control media, and see animated previews of camera notifications, all from your watch, with Wear OS 4. Wear OS 4 is only available in a developer preview and emulator for now, with full availability coming later this year.
The redesigned Google Home app is no longer in an invite-only public preview and will become available to everyone starting Thursday, May 11th. The overhauled app comes with some major improvements, including a better camera interface, a new Favorites tab, and support for a ton of new device types.
When you want to use it, just pop it off the dock and it’s a normal Android tablet—except a bit better, because Google has made some strides in improving the tablet experience on Android, with more than 50 Google apps optimized for the larger screen. It has the same software features as otherPixel devices, is powered by the Tensor G2 and has a battery that lasts up to a year. Sadly, there are no other accessories—no stylus and no keyboard. There is a way to use it with accessories, but it is clear that the company is really thinking about it as a homebody.
Every year, the company makes an announcement of a new version of the flagship device. The Pixel 7A is slightly more expensive than the last model, though you still get a few more high-end perks, like a 90-Hz screen refresh rate and wireless charging support. The cameras are also completely new, with a 64-megapixel sensor leading the pack. You can read more about it in our review (8/10, WIRED Recommends). You can buy it today and get a free case and $100 for another accessory, and it is even free if you order it right now.
Bard Chatbot, Photo Editor, and Smart Home: a Side-Brief Briefing on I/O and the Development of a Voice Assistant
The generative features of the Bard chatbot will be brought into the messaging app, with settings that permit you to ask questions right in the chat box, and adjust the contents of messages to fit different tones.
There is an update to the photo-editing feature coming later this year. The tool is going to be called Magic Editor, and will be similar to a mobile version of a photo editor. Users can change nearly every element of a photo, including adjusting lighting, removing unwanted foreground elements like backpack straps, and even moving the subject of the photo into other parts of the frame.
The Matter smart home standard was not highlighted a lot during the I/O keynote. In a few weeks, you will be able to control Matter devices with theGoogle Home app for the iPad and iPod touch. Any family member can use the panel or switch profiles. As they say, if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em … in putting a Matter sticker on every home appliance.
Theandroid auto team finally has news to share, almost a year after Apple announced plans for a new voice assistant. During the I/O keynote, it came in a side-briefing before the show.