Latest news with #Imagen4
New Indian Express
5 days ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
Google unveils sweeping AI upgrades at I/O 2025
Technology giant Google has unveiled a wide array of new products and updates at its annual developer conference, Google I/O 2025. Highlights include groundbreaking advancements such as 3D video calls via Beam, cutting-edge image and video generation models like Imagen 4 and Veo 3, and introduction of Android XR, a dedicated platform for smart wearables. Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and Alphabet, emphasised the accelerating global adoption of artificial intelligence, stating: 'The world is responding, adopting AI faster than ever before.' He also shared that the Gemini app now boasts over 400 million monthly active users, with usage of the Gemini 2.5 Pro model increasing by 45%.
Business Insider
7 days ago
- Business
- Business Insider
‘Buy After Google I/O,' Says Morgan Stanley About Alphabet Stock
Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL) stock has been under pressure in recent times, weighed down by mounting antitrust challenges and growing concerns that AI could erode its search dominance. Confident Investing Starts Here: But this week's Google I/O conference helped flip the script. The company unveiled a slate of AI-driven innovations, making it clear it's not ceding ground – it's stepping up as a key architect of the AI era. More than anything, says Morgan Stanley analyst Brian Nowak, I/O showcased 'how the company intends to leverage its leading user bases and distribution to drive next generation more personalized 'search,' and agentic experiences.' Among the highlights, CEO Sundar Pichai announced that AI Mode – a conversational chatbot interface for the company's search engine that debuted in beta earlier this year – is now available to all of Google's US users. Google will also be enhancing AI Mode throughout 2025 with more agentic, commerce-focused experiences for users. Soon, users will be able to connect other Google apps, like Gmail, to enable more context-aware responses – such as suggesting events based on travel plans found in emails. Additionally, Deep Search will use Google's query expansion technology to deliver expert-level, fully cited reports with unique visualizations, beginning with sports and financial data. New agentic features will help users complete tasks like booking tickets or making reservations by navigating websites and filling out forms. Search Live will let users use their phone cameras in real time so Google can assist based on what they're seeing. Lastly, next-gen shopping tools will offer a dynamic, personalized product browsing experience using Google's massive catalog, including a new AI-powered 'Try-On' feature that shows how clothes might look on the user. 'It will be important to monitor whether these products are rolled out to all users (free vs paid) in order to gauge their potential benefits,' Nowak said on the matter. Nowak makes the case that for GenAI platforms to drive the next wave of widespread adoption, they'll need to introduce compelling new features across their free tiers. At the same time, it's clear that the most advanced capabilities will often be reserved for paid subscriptions. Google delivered on this front, says the analyst, with the launch of Agent Mode in the Gemini app, which allows users to assign and automate multiple tasks – comparable to OpenAI's Operator functionality. Google also unveiled Imagen 4 and Veo 3, its newest image and video generation models, both now available. Imagen 4 delivers significantly higher-quality images – up to 10 times faster than Imagen 3 – along with enhanced text rendering and topography capabilities. Meanwhile, Veo 3 builds on the capabilities of Veo 2 by adding audio generation features, including dialogue, background sounds, and sound effects, for more immersive video creation. 'Near-term adoption of these tools may be small (given the required paywall access) but long-term we see how GOOGL's improving GenAI capabilities can lead to further sources of engagement and monetization for creators and advertisers,' Nowak went on to say. With that in mind, Nowak is staying bullish on GOOGL shares, assigning an Overweight (i.e., Buy) rating and a $185 price target, implying a ~10% upside from where the stock trades now. (To watch Nowak's track record, click here) 27 other analysts also take a favorable view of GOOGL's prospects, while 9 fencesitters can't detract from a Strong Buy consensus rating. The average price target stands at $197.69, pointing toward one-year returns of 17%. (See ) To find good ideas for stocks trading at attractive valuations, visit TipRanks' Best Stocks to Buy, a tool that unites all of TipRanks' equity insights.
Techday NZ
22-05-2025
- Business
- Techday NZ
Google unveils new Gemini AI app features, launches paid plans
Google has announced a range of new features and capabilities for its Gemini app, expanding the accessibility and utility of its artificial intelligence offerings for users worldwide. Gemini Live, the app's real-time camera and screen sharing functionality, is now available for free on Android and iOS platforms. Users can point their smartphones at objects or share their screens and discuss tasks in real time without the need to type out queries. According to Google, Gemini Live has prompted users to have conversations that are, on average, five times longer than those relying on text alone. Google stated, "People love Gemini Live. In fact, the conversations are five times longer than text-based conversations on average because it offers new ways to get help, whether it's troubleshooting a broken appliance or getting personalized shopping advice. That's why, starting today, we're making Gemini Live with camera and screen sharing available to everyone on Android and iOS for free." In the coming weeks, Gemini Live will offer greater integration with other Google products and services. Google said, "Gemini Live will integrate more deeply into your daily life. Planning a night out with friends? Discuss the details in Gemini Live, and it instantly creates an event in your Google Calendar. Craving deep-dish pizza? Ask, and get the latest details from Google Maps. We're starting to integrate Google Maps, Calendar, Tasks and Keep, with more Google ecosystem connections planned. You can always manage these app connections and your information anytime in the app's settings." Gemini now incorporates Imagen 4, Google's latest image generation model. Imagen 4 is designed to produce images with improved quality, text rendering, and speed. Google said, "Whether you're designing a sleek professional presentation, whipping up social media graphics or crafting event invitations, Imagen 4 delivers visuals that pop with lifelike detail and better text and typography outputs. Everyone can try Imagen 4 today in the Gemini app." For AI-driven video creation, Google introduced Veo 3, describing it as a video generation model that includes native support for sound effects, ambient background noises, and dialogue. Google commented, "When it comes to making your ideas move, Veo 3 is in a league of its own. It lets you not just generate a video scene, but also the bustling city sounds, the subtle rustle of leaves or even character dialogue — all from simple text prompts. Veo 3 makes this possible with its native audio generation, creating truly immersive experiences unlike anything you've done before, and it's available today in the Gemini app for Google AI Ultra subscribers in the U.S." Deep Research, another feature within the Gemini platform, allows users to combine their own documents, such as PDFs and images, with public data for more comprehensive research reports. Google explained, "Starting today, you can get a complete, customized Deep Research report that combines public data with your own private PDFs and images. This means you'll get a holistic understanding, cross-referencing your unique knowledge with broader trends, all in one place, saving you time and revealing connections you might have otherwise missed." Future plans include extending Deep Research functionality to allow examination of information stored on Google Drive and Gmail. Gemini's Canvas component sees upgrades as well, with the 2.5 model now enabling users to create interactive infographics, quizzes, and audio overviews in 45 languages. The platform is also aimed at those needing code generation, with Google stating, "But the magic of 2.5 Pro is its ability to translate complex ideas into working code with remarkable speed and precision. People are rapidly bringing entire applications to life from simple descriptions. Vibe coding like this dramatically lowers the barrier to creating software and makes prototyping new ideas faster than ever before." Gemini will soon be available within the Chrome browser for Google AI Pro and Google AI Ultra subscribers whose desktop language is English on Windows and macOS. The initial version will allow the Gemini assistant to clarify or summarise webpage content. Google noted, "In the future, Gemini will be able to work across multiple tabs and navigate websites on your behalf." On the education front, Gemini is launching interactive quizzes, designed to foster more engaging study sessions. Google said, "Gemini is transforming how you study with the launch of interactive quizzes designed to make learning more engaging. For example, simply ask Gemini to 'create a practice quiz on thermodynamics' and then dive into a tailored learning experience. As you answer, Gemini provides instant feedback, highlighting topics that need more attention. Once you're done, Gemini proactively offers a personalized follow-up quiz, focused on the areas you found challenging, helping you turn weaknesses into strengths." All users can access this feature globally. Additionally, college students in the United States, Brazil, Indonesia, Japan, and the United Kingdom are eligible for a free upgrade to the Gemini suite for a full academic year, with plans to expand to more countries in the future. Google has introduced two new paid subscription plans for its AI services: Google AI Pro at USD $19.99 per month and Google AI Ultra at USD $249.99 per month. The Pro plan replaces and expands upon Gemini Advanced, while granting users access to a broader range of AI tools, including Flow and NotebookLM, as well as higher rate limits. The Ultra plan is intended for users who require the highest rate limits and early access to features, such as Veo 3 and the forthcoming 2.5 Pro Deep Think mode. Google explained, "With Google Al Pro you'll get a suite of Al tools for $19.99/month. This Pro plan will level up your Gemini app experience, and replace and expand on Gemini Advanced. It also includes products like Flow, NotebookLM and more, all with special features and higher rate limits. Then there's the Google AI Ultra plan. It'll give you access to our most powerful models with the highest rate limits, and early access to our most exciting experimental Al products before anyone else. You can think of the Ultra plan as your VIP pass to Google Al. For example, for our Gemini app power users, you'll get the highest level of access with the Ultra plan — with exclusive features and access to the best models first, including Veo3 and the upcoming 2.5 Pro Deep Think mode when it launches. When you upgrade Gemini to the Ultra plan, you'll also get early access to Agent Mode, a new experimental capability arriving on desktop soon. Imagine simply stating your objective, and Gemini intelligently orchestrates the steps to achieve it. Agent Mode seamlessly combines advanced features like live web browsing, in-depth research and smart integrations with your Google apps, empowering it to manage complex, multi-step tasks from start to finish with minimal oversight from you." Google AI Ultra is available in the United States, with additional countries to be added. A promotional discount of 50 percent off for the first three months is offered to first-time users. The company stated, "All these updates are driven by our vision to make Gemini the most personal, proactive and powerful AI assistant on the planet. We look forward to seeing what you do with it."
Stuff.tv
21-05-2025
- Stuff.tv
10 announcements from Google I/O 2025 I'm most excited about
After the biggest news from Google I/O 2025? We've got you covered. Having tuned into Google's big event and watched the flood of AI announcements cascade in, one thing's clear – Google is positioning itself as an AI brand now. From smarter search to virtual try-ons and glasses that whisper directions in your ear, here are the best 10 announcements in bite-sized format. 1. Gemini in Android XR glasses is finally here… sort of Smart glasses have flirted with AI before (I'm looking at you Meta Ray-Bans), but Google's latest Android XR push – now paired with Gemini – might actually make them useful enough to wear all the time. Running on a new Android XR platform, these glasses (developed with partners like Gentle Monster and Warby Parker) blend AI assistance with surprisingly wearable designs. They see and hear what you do, serve up helpful suggestions to an optional in-lens display, and keep your hands free while navigating your day. Whether you're translating conversations in real time, firing off a text, or snapping photos with a blink, it's like having a helpful assistant on your face. Even better, Xreal is jumping into the mix too, with plans to bring its own glasses into the Android XR ecosystem. Expect a wave of Gemini-powered headsets and wearables later this year, starting with Samsung's Project Moohan. 2. Veo 3 and Flow: film school in your pocket Say goodbye to the silent era of video generation: Introducing Veo 3 — with native audio generation. 🗣️ Quality is up from Veo 2, and now you can add dialogue between characters, sound effects and background noise. Veo 3 is available now in the @GeminiApp for Google AI Ultra… — Google (@Google) May 20, 2025 Video making just got democratised in a big way. And I'm also slightly terrified. Veo 3 is Google's newest generative video model and it doesn't just render stunning 1080p scenes – it adds sound, too. We're talking street ambience, background music, and even believable character dialogue, all from a prompt. To go with it, Google launched Flow, a new AI filmmaking tool purpose-built for creatives. You can storyboard, manage assets like characters and props, and sequence scenes with cinematic polish, all by describing your ideas. There are even camera controls, continuity features, and reference styles to keep everything visually coherent. It's available now for Google AI Pro and Ultra users in the US. 3. Imagen 4: finally, AI can spell It's a sad state of affairs when we get excited that an image generator can finally spell properly – but here we are. Imagen 4 isn't just about better textures and photorealism (although it's very good at both) – it also gets typography right. Posters, comics, and slides should all be useable now. No more garbled nonsense text that makes your creations look like a ransom note. It's fast, flexible with aspect ratios, and supports resolutions up to 2K, making it ideal for everything from Instagram flexing to full-blown print layouts. Imagen 4 is now live in the Gemini app and Workspace apps like Docs and Slides. 4. Jules can code so you don't have to Google's take on the future of software development isn't a sidekick. Jules is a full-blown autonomous coding agent that plugs into your existing repos, clones your project into a secure VM, and just… gets to work. It writes new features, fixes bugs, updates dependencies, and even narrates the changes with an audio changelog. I absolutely love that last part. You can watch its reasoning, edit its plan on the fly, and stay in control without doing the actual slog. It's powered by Gemini 2.5 Pro and available now in public beta globally, wherever Gemini is available. 5. Show, don't tell with Gemini Live We've all had those moments where describing the problem feels harder than fixing it. Gemini Live now lets you point your camera at whatever's giving you grief – be it a form you don't understand or a baffling piece of IKEA furniture – and talk it through. With camera and screen sharing now available for free on Android and iOS, it's already becoming an easy way to get help to your questions. Gemini Live will soon integrate with Google Maps, Calendar, Tasks and Keep too, meaning you can show it your dinner plan chaos and have it suggest a time, a place, and actually create the event. 6. AI Mode comes to Google Search Google Search is now less 'here are some results' and more 'here's your answer and I bought the tickets.' AI Mode is rolling out in the US with advanced reasoning, a multimodal interface, and the ability to follow up like an attentive conversation partner. It can interpret long, detailed questions, and even handle real-world interactions – like analysing ticket listings or booking appointments. You can also shop smarter, with a visual browsing experience, virtual try-ons using your own photo, and an agentic checkout that'll buy your item when the price dips. Obviously, this is what Google sees as the future of search. While some of these features definitely seem useful, I'm not sure I'm sold on using them all the time. Fortunately, AI Mode exists alongside regular Search. For now, at least. But if the God-awful AI Overviews are anything to go by, Google will transition this to the default in the near future. Though, Google says people are actually using AI Overviews. So maybe it does know best. 7. Deep Think is Gemini's new brainy mode Gemini 2.5 Pro is already a monster of an AI model, but now it's getting an experimental mode called Deep Think. Designed for tasks that require actual reasoning – like solving complex maths or competitive coding problems – it uses new techniques to consider multiple solutions before deciding what to say. It's been tested on brutal academic benchmarks and is currently reserved for trusted testers, but the results so far are ridiculously impressive. 8. Personalised AI hits a new level (impressive or creepy, you decide) Google is finally putting all that data it's quietly been collecting – sorry, respectfully managing – to actual good use. With your permission, Gemini can pull in personal context from Gmail, Drive, Calendar, and more to provide answers that actually reflect your life. New Smart Replies in Gmail promise to match your tone and include info from old itineraries or past messages. Deep Research now lets you add your own documents for richer insights, and Canvas lets you turn those insights into apps, visuals, even podcasts. It's personalisation that actually feels useful, not just creepy. Although the personalised replies I've used in Superhuman haven't been all that helpful, so hopefully Google does a better job. 9. Google Beam is actually real… which means holograms are a step closer We've all been on too many soul-sucking video calls that leave us staring at a pixelated freeze-frame of our own disappointment at this point. Beam wants to change that. Born from the now-retired Project Starline, it's a new 3D video platform that uses 6 cameras and real-time rendering to make it feel like you're actually in the room with someone. Facial expressions, eye contact, and body language all gets captured and displayed with millimetre-precise head tracking on a 3D lightfield screen. Think Apple's Personas from the Vision Pro headset. The first Beam devices are coming later this year in partnership with HP. And while it's not quite a hologram yet, it does put us one step closer. Which is undeniably cool. 10. Already shop online? Now you'll never leave the house Starting today in the U.S., you can try clothes on virtually in Labs. 👕 Say you see a great shirt, but you're not sure if it's right for you. Use our new try on tool to upload a picture of yourself and get a feel for what the product might look like on *you.* — Google (@Google) May 20, 2025 Online shopping is equal parts convenience and chaos. But Google's new AI Mode makes it feel more like chatting with a knowledgeable shop assistant. Say you're looking for a bag that'll hold up in rainy weather. AI Mode fans out multiple searches, checks waterproofing, capacity, and brand ratings, then shows you a visual panel of curated suggestions. It can bring in Personal Context, so if you're shopping for dog or kid toys, it'll know their name. But the best part has to be the fact that you can now try clothes on virtually using a photo of yourself. A number of small startups have been working on this problem, but now it's baked right into Google. The fitting rooms are the worst part of going shopping (and there are many), so this makes things more convenient than ever. And when you're ready to buy, an agentic checkout will handle it via Google Pay. It's live in Search Labs in the US today and will roll out to more users soon. If there's one theme from Google I/O 2025, it's that the search giant doubling down on making AI useful, not just smart. With so many of these tools already live or landing soon, it's clear Google is done teasing and ready to deliver. In fairness, some of Google's newest announcements are undeniably impressive. But AI fatigue is definitely setting in. And I can see a real possibility where Google Search gets ruined (even more) in the near future. So watch this space for whatever comes next.
Hans India
21-05-2025
- Business
- Hans India
Google I/O 2025: Gemini AI Expands with Beam, Flow, Jules, and Android XR Innovations
At the highly anticipated Google I/O 2025 conference held on May 20, Google showcased a series of transformative AI innovations centered round Gemini, the company's flagship family of large language models. From animmersive 3D communication platform and autonomous coding assistants to afilmmaking tool powered by AI, the event offered a sweeping vision of howartificial intelligence will shape the future of Google's products andservices. 'The opportunity with AI is truly as big as it gets,'declared Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google, setting the tone for a developerconference that leaned heavily into AI-first experiences. Here's a comprehensive breakdown of the most significant announcements from Google I/O 2025: Google Beam: A Leap in 3D Video Communication In a major step forward for remote collaboration, Google introduced Beam, the next evolution of its earlier Project Starline. Beam use ssix cameras combined with an AI-powered volumetric video model to convert 2Dvideo streams into real-time, immersive 3D experiences. The technology offers millimetre-accurate head tracking and renders at a smooth 60 frames per second, delivering a lifelike, in-person meeting feel—even across long distances. Beam is built on Google Cloud, promising enterprise-level reliability, and is being rolled out in partnership with HP and Zoom. Live demonstrations will be showcased at Info Comm, with availability for select enterprise customers later this year. Gemini App Expands with AI Live, Veo 3, and Imagen 4 The Gemini app, now with over 400 million monthly active users, has been positioned as a universal AI assistant. One of its standout features is Gemini Live, which integrates capabilities from Project Astra, including camera and screen-sharing features. Users can point their smartphones at objects or share their screens for real-time AI-powered support, useful for everything from prepping for interviews to marathon training. New tools like Imagen 4 and Veo 3 have also been added. Imagen 4 enables high-quality image generation, while Veo 3 allows for vide creation with native sound effects and dialogue. Gemini is also integrated into Chrome, enabling users to askquestions directly while browsing. To expand access, Google has introduced two new subscriptionplans: • Google AIPro ($19.99/month or approx. ₹1700), offering tools like Flow and Notebook LM with higher usage limits. • Google AIUltra ($249.99/month or approx. ₹21,400, US only), includes experimental features like Agent Mode and access to the most advanced Gemini models. Students in select countries, including the US, UK, Brazil, Indonesia, and Japan, can access AI Pro free for one year. AI Mode in Google Search Gets Smarter Google Search is being revamped with AI Mode, powered by the custom Gemini 2.5 model. It is now rolling out in the US without the need forLabs sign-ups. This upgraded search experience handles multimodal queries, supports follow-up questions, and offers links to trusted web sources. Other AI-powered enhancements include: • Deep Searchfor in-depth, contextual answers. • SearchLive, a visual search tool that uses the phone's camera to identify objects and answer real-time queries. According to Google, AI Overviews now serve 1.5 billion users across 200 countries and have led to a 10% increase in search queries incountries like the US and India, making it one of Google's most successful search features in a decade. Project Mariner & Agent Mode: Teaching AI to Work for You Project Mariner, Google's prototype AI agent system, has received major upgrades. It can now handle up to 10 simultaneous tasks, such as booking tickets, conducting research, or shopping online. Mariner features a 'teach andrepeat' system that enables it to learn tasks after just a single demonstration. These features will first roll out to Google AI Ultra subscribers in the US, with developer access arriving through the Gemini APIlater this summer. Companies like Automation Anywhere and Ui Path are already experimenting with Mariner to power business automation. Flow: AI-Powered Filmmaking for All Creators Google introduced Flow, a filmmaking tool designed for both beginners and professionals. Powered by Gemini, Imagen, and Veo, Flow offers: • Cameracontrols for adjusting motion and camera angles. • Scenebuilder for editing or extending video shots. • Asset management tools to keep prompts and creative elements organised. The platform also includes Flow TV, a curated showcase of AI-generated videos, complete with visible prompts to inspire creativity. With Veo 3 integrated, Flow supports dialogue, sound effects, and ambient audio, enabling creators to produce professional-grade content using only AI. Jules: A Smarter, Autonomous Coding Assistant First introduced via Google Labs in December, Jules has now entered public beta. It is a powerful, asynchronous coding assistant available anywhere Gemini operates. Unlike traditional code-completion tools, Jules can: • Write andtest code. • Fix bugs and update dependencies. • Generate audio-based changelogs. Jules integrates securely with repositories on Google Cloud virtual machines and does not train on private code, preserving privacy. It provides detailed plans and reports after task completion, leveraging the Gemini 2.5 Pro model to handle complex, multi-file coding challenges. Stitch: Bridging Design and Development Stitch, another Labs experiment, aims to streamline appdevelopment. It uses Gemini 2.5 Pro's multimodal abilities to transform text prompts and images into functional UI designs and frontend code. Stitch features include: • Interactive chat support. • Theme selectors. • Integration with Figma, enhancing collaboration between designers and developers. By simplifying the workflow between design and engineering, Stitch helps teams build more intuitive, efficient applications. Android XR: Google's Step into Spatial Computing Google also revealed major developments in Android XR, its spatial computing platform designed for headsets and smart glasses. Built incollaboration with Samsung and Qualcomm, Android XR powers upcoming wearables like Samsung's Project Moohan headset, expected to launch later this year. Android XR glasses come equipped with: • Cameras,microphones, and optional in-lens displays. • Seamless Gemini integration for real-time assistance, including messaging, navigation, and live language translation. The goal is to make AI truly context-aware—understanding what users see and hear to offer intelligent, hands-free help. Gemini 2.5 Series: Pro and Flash Upgrades The Gemini 2.5 series, which includes Pro and Flash models, has received significant updates. These include: • Nativeaudio output for natural conversations. • Enhanced security features. • Integration with Mariner for desktop tasks. Gemini 2.5 Pro now features Deep Think, an experimental mode for tackling complex math and programming problems. Meanwhile, 2.5 Flash is optimized for speed and is the default model in the Gemini app. Both versions will be available on Google AI Studio and Vertex AI by early June, offering powerful tools for both developers and enterprise users. Gemini in Workspace: Smarter Tools for Productivity Finally, Google announced Gemini-powered enhancements across its Workspace suite, including Gmail, Docs, Meet, and Vids. These updates allow users to: • Respondto emails more quickly. • Translatemessages across languages. • Createvideos and write documents with relevant sources. The goal is to boost productivity by making AI an integral part of daily work.
