Google confirms its vows to AI
- ggstoev
- May 14, 2023
- 2 min read
A quick reflection on past week's Google I/O 2023, writing to you on the road from Bulgaria.
Google's annual developer conference focused on - you guessed it - AI, as Google seemingly is playing a catch up with OpenAI ChatGPT.
CEO Sundar Pichai reassured developers and investors (see chart of Google's shares) that Google is an AI-first company and PaLM2, the next generation large language model, will be powering as many as 25 of its products and features in over 100 languages, including cornerstone products: Google Search, Gmail, Workspace and even Pixel phones.
Google AI-based Upgrades
Gmail - let me answer this for you
I will only highlight products most of use on daily basis such, with one of the most widely used products, (according to Google 1,8B)- Gmail.
With "Help Me Write", an extension to already known features like "Smart Compose" users like me will finally get a break with drafting a message quickly, help me stay organized by scheduling meetings and stay on top of things. Of course, the generative AI behind is taking baby steps with simple reply tasks such sending a quick "thank you" note, or follow up on after a meeting.
Gmail will also introduce security alerts when a Google email address is showing in the dark web and thereby signaling of potential data breaches such recent Twitter, Equifax and others. Look out for the feature to be rolled out on the next Workspace update.
Google Maps
The everyday app which provides over 20B kilometers of data (although not working abroad as well as in the US) every day has also been integrated with an AI-based feature called "Immersive View for Routes." The feature allows users (card drivers, bikers, pedestrians) to view a high fidelity perspective of their trip, before embarking on the trip. The feature will be piloted for launched initially for about 15 metropolises such as New York, London and San Francisco.
Google Search
Google's AI (PaLM2) integration with Google Search is designed to handle multiple inquiries and providing single AI generated recommendation. Searching capabilities will be extended also using Google's Lens across images and text. You can "test drive" some of the new features using Google's Search Labs.
Bard
Initially launched as a light-weight language model to gather feedback and iterate. Bard, also integrated with PaLM2, has been hard to work at learning programming languages such Java, Python, SQL and even Google Sheets functions. Bard answers can be easily exported into Gmail and Google Docs as well. Bard will be able to also connect with Google and third party tools, we are reassured responsibly.
If you are outside the US, Google will be launching Bard soon in over 180 countries in English.
The entire keynote introduction of I/O 2023 can be seen here:
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