Innovation Led by AI

Google I/O is Google’s annual developer conference, and it is always a great opportunity to learn about the latest innovations from the company. This year’s conference was no exception, with a number of exciting announcements about how Google plans to incorporate generative AI features into new and existing products. Google will be utilizing advanced language models, including PaLM2 and the Multitask Unified Model (MuM) to power their AI-first approach.

Duet AI

One of the biggest announcements from Google I/O was the launch of Duet AI, a new AI-powered tool that is designed to help users create better content. Duet AI is integrated into a number of Google Workspace apps, including Docs, Sheets, and Slides. For example, the new “Help me write” feature, which seems to be a renamed and improved version of the Smart Compose feature in Gmail, will assist users by offering content suggestions for use in Google Docs, Slides, Sheets, and Gmail. In addition to this feature, these new tools can help users with a variety of tasks, such as generating ideas, finding relevant information, and improving grammar and spelling – all without having to leave the Google Workspace.

AI-First Search

Another major announcement from Google I/O was the new look and feel for Google Search. The new search interface is designed to be more visually appealing and easier to use. Rather than relying solely on chatbots or redesigning its homepage, Google aims to place AI at the forefront of its search experience. With Google accounting for over 92% of the global search market share, this shift towards AI will likely be the new precedent for curating impactful search results. Despite this launch of an AI-first search experience, Google has doubled down on its commitment to responsible AI, omitting financial or medical queries from the new search model.

This revamped search page also includes a number of new features, such as a new “Perspectives” option that allows users to get opinionated results from other (real) people, pulling from sources such as Reddit , Youtube, and personal blogs.

Note: Users currently have to opt-in for this new AI-first search layout. We will keep you posted with how this change affects Paid Search and SEO, once the feature is fully deployed.

Bard + Project Tailwinds

Towards the end of the conference, Google announced the availability of Bard, a new AI language model that is designed to help users with a variety of tasks, such as writing, coding, and translating. Bard is powered by PaLM 2, Google’s latest AI language model. PaLM 2 is a massive language model that has been trained on an extensive dataset of text and code. This allows Bard to generate text that is both accurate and creative.

Google also took the stand and teased a new initiative that uses machine learning in a whole new way. This initiative is known as ‘Project Tailwinds’, and rather than learning from sources far and wide, it bases responses off of documents that you provide. One way of thinking of this is a personal AI notebook that can search through the entirety of its contents at any time to give you the information that you need, when you need it. Not only is this an extremely convenient tool for student’s and businesses alike, but it serves as a way to vet information provided by generative AI models.

Conclusion

Google I/O unveiled exciting advancements in generative AI, with Duet AI offering enhanced content creation in Google Workspace apps. The new AI-driven search interface and the introduction of Bard demonstrates Google’s commitment to an AI-first approach. The launch of the new search model, focused on visual appeal and user-friendliness, marks a significant shift in curating impactful search results. Additionally, “Project Tailwinds” showcases a personalized AI ‘notebook’. With these innovations, Google is leading the way in AI-powered productivity and search experiences, promising a bright future for users.

Logan Didier, Marketing Intern

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