Google recently wrapped up its annual I/O developer conference at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California. The conference was marked by a number of big announcements from the keynote sessions.
Here are some of the biggest:
Google Will Go All in on Artificial Intelligence
The company has confirmed that it’s rebranding its research division with the help of artificial intelligence. The move is a clear signal that the search engine giant wants to refocus research and development towards AI. Things like computer vision, neural networks, and natural language processing are some of the key areas Google will be looking at.
“Continued Conversation” Will Make Talking to Google Assistant More Natural
Google announced during the developer’s conference that it will add a “continued conversation” update to Google Assistant. The company says that the update will make the process of talking to the Assistant more natural. Normally, in order to give the Assistant a command, you will need to begin with the phrase “Hey Google” or “Ok, Google.” With the new update, instead of repeating the phrases every time you need to give the Assistant a command, you will only need to do it once. The tech company has also added a new feature that will allow you to ask multiple questions in one request.
AI Is Coming to Google Photos
Google Photos already has a number of built-in editing tools that help you correct and edit photos based on how you see fit. There are also some AI features that allow you to generate collages automatically. However, Google is boosting the AI options on Google Photos to include things like B&W photo colorization, rotations, and brightness correction. The updated version of the Google Photos app will leverage on AI to suggest quick fixes on photos.
Google Assistant Makes Its Way to Google Maps
Google Assistant will now be available on Google Maps on iOS and Android platforms this summer. Google feels that the addition of Google Assistant will help users get better recommendations on Maps for local places. Google Maps will also get Street View integration. This will allow Google Lens to easily identify buildings on any street as long as the camera is pointed at them.
AI Redesign for Google News
Google News will also get an AI redesign in the coming weeks. The AI redesign will make it possible for users to stay updated with the news. This is the same thing that Facebook did and it looks like Google is following the same trend. The AI will also be used to avail news pieces to users from publishers they trust. The updated Google News app will deliver a more holistic and summarized view of the news based on user preferences. All this will be done with the help of AI features on the app.
The I/O developer conference is the perfect platform for Google to announce new changes to its products, and the 2018 keynote didn’t disappoint.
