Google announced new AI solutions and privacy features at Google I/O, its annual conference.
The opening keynote is behind us. CEO Sundar Pichai revealed more than ten upcoming solutions and updates to existing products. We’ll be covering some of the most noteworthy additions.
AI Test Kitchen
For years, Google has been working on LaMDA, an AI model for humanlike conversations. The model is now capable of conducting natural conversations on a broad range of topics. The preview will be available soon. The first invitations have been sent. Recipients get access to the AI Test Kitchen app. The app provides an interface for conversations with LaMDA.
Google prepared three demos. In the first demo, ‘Imagine it’, users are asked to describe a location. Resultingly, LaMDA generates a complex, original scenario based on the location, as shown below.
In the second demo, ‘List It’, users enter a goal. LaMDA generates a list of tasks to achieve the goal. Think of a goal like ‘gardening’, after which LaMDA lists the steps required to go from nothing to a small garden. Visit a gardening centre, study plants, buy tools, and so on.
The third demo is unrestricted. Users can conversate with LaMDA on topics of choice. This demo demonstrates the humanlike way in which the AI conversates with people. As mentioned earlier, the app is available by invitation only. Google did not reveal how one can qualify.
Text summaries
Google Docs will soon generate automatic summaries of long documents. Just like LaMDA, this feature’s based on AI for language recognition. The feature recognizes the main topics of long texts and spins out a short version. The release date is unknown.
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Google Search
Google Search is getting a new feature called ‘Multisearch Near Me’. You take a picture of an object, add ‘near me’ in the text field and receive an overview of local shops that sell the object. Think furniture, tools and food.
The feature builds on Multisearch. Multisearch was recently introduced, allowing users to perform searches with both text and imagery. For example, inputting a photo of a t-shirt and the term ‘stripes’ spins out similar t-shirts with stripes.
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Privacy and security
Furthermore, Google is working on several privacy and security updates. First, it will soon be possible to add virtual credit card numbers to autofill on Chrome and Android apps.
Virtual credit cards are available at major vendors like Visa, MasterCard and American Express. These credit cards are self-manageable, but restricted to online payments. One pro is not having to call support employees to change a payment limit. Support in Chrome and Android apps allows virtual credit card numbers to be filled in automatically for online payments.
Secondly, Google is going to generate more notifications for accounts that aren’t protected with every recommended security measure. For example, users who lack two-step verification will be reminded more often in apps like Gmail and Docs.
Thirdly, Google will remove personal data from search results on request. When finding your personal data in the search results of Google Search, a new button allows you to request Google to remove the data from the results.
Finally, ‘My Ad Center’ will be launched later this year. The app will allow users to set which ads they do and don’t receive. In addition, the app provides insight into all data collected through an account, including search behaviour.
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