Category Archives: google

Gemini 2.0 Google’s Newest Flagship AI Can Generate Text, Images, And Speech

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Google’s next major AI model has arrived to combat a slew of new offerings from OpenAI, TechCrunch reported.

On Wednesday, Google announced Gemini 2.0 Flash, which the company says can natively generate images and audio in addition to text. 2.0 Flash can also use third-party apps and services, allowing it to tap into Google Search, execute code, and more.

An experimental release of 2.0 Flash will be available through the Gemini API and Google’s AI developer platforms AI Studio and Vertex AI, starting today. However, the audio and image generation capabilities are launching only for “early access partners” ahead of a wide rollout in January.

In the coming months, Google says that it’ll bring 2.0 Flash in a range of flavors to products like Android Studio, Chrome, DevTools, Firebase, Gemini Code Assist, and others.

The production version of 2.0 Flash will land in January. But in the meantime, Google is releasing an API, the Multimodal Live API, to help developers build app with real-time audio and video streaming functionality.

Google https://blog.google/products/gemini/google-gemini-ai-collection-2024/ posted “Gemini 2.0: Our latest, most capable AI model yet.”

Today, we’re announcing Gemini 2.0 — our most capable AI model yet, designed for the agent era. Gemini 2.0 has new capabilities, like multimodal output with native image generation and audio output, and native tools including Google Search and Maps.

We’re releasing an experimental version of Gemini 2.0 Flash, our workhorse model with low latency and enhanced performance. Developers can start building with this model in the Gemini API via Google AI Studio and Vertex AI. And Gemini and Gemini Advanced users globally can try out a chat optimized version of Gemini 2.0 by selecting it in the model dropdown on desktop.

We’re also using Gemini 2.0 in new research prototypes including Project Astra, which explores the future capabilities of a universal AI assistant; Project Mariner, an early prototype capable of taking actions in Chrome as an experimental extension; and Jules, an experimental AI-powered code agent. 

We continue to prioritize safety and responsibility with these projects, which is why we’re taking an exploratory and gradual approach to development, including working with trusted testers.

Engadget reported: The battle for AI supremacy is heating up. Almost exactly a week after OpenAI made its o1 model available to the public, Google today is offering a preview of its next-generation Gemini 2.0 model. 

In a blog post attributed to Google CEO Sundar Pichai, the company says 2.0 is its most capable model yet, with the algorithm offering native support for image and audio output.

“It will enable us to build new AI agents that bring us closer to our vision of a universal assistant,” says Pichai. 

Google is doing something different with Gemini 2.0. Rather than starting today’s preview by first offering its most advanced version of the model, Gemini 2.0 Pro, the search giant is instead kicking things off with 2.0 Flash. 

As of today, the more efficient (and affordable) model is available to all Gemini users. If you want to try it yourself, you can enable Gemini 2.0 from the dropdown menu in the Gemini web client, with availability within the mobile app coming soon.

In my opinion, it will be interesting to see what Google wants to do with its Gemini 2.0. It seems like several other companies are working hard to create the best AI bot.

 

Microsoft Says It Built An Xbox Game Store On Android But Can’t Launch It

google, Microsoft

A few weeks ago, Microsoft exec Sarah Bond said that in November, “players will be able to play and purchase Xbox games directly from the Xbox App on Android.” It’s almost December and the feature still isn’t live, but Bond says it’s not Microsoft’s fault, The Verge reported.

The problem, as she puts it, is that Microsoft would only be able to do it once a court order takes effect that forces sweeping changes for Google’s Play Store on Android, like opening it up to competition and ending the requirement for apps to use Google Play Billing.

On October 18th, Judge James Donato granted Google’s request for a stay while it appeals his ruling that the Android app store is in an illegal monopoly, which could leave things hanging in the balance for quite a while. 

Bond referenced that in a thread on Bluesky today, writing, “Due to a temporary administrative stay recently granted by the courts, we are currently unable to launch these features as planned. Our team has the functionality built and ready to go live as soon as the court makes a final decision.”

PureXbox reported: It was back in the early part of October that Xbox’s Sarah Bond announced a plan to bring major new features to the Xbox app on Android devices — specifically the ability to “play and purchase” games directly from it.

Google has issued a statement in response to Microsoft today, and it’s a frustrated one. The company claims that Xbox has always been able to offer these planned features via the Xbox app, and that Microsoft is “ignoring security concerns” that are related to the court ruling and the “rush to force its implementation”.

The TL:DR here is that we’re (seemingly) not getting the ability to ‘play and purchase’ Xbox games directly from the Xbox app until Google’s court appeal is sorted out, which could be well into next year if things keep dragging on.

As far as we know, Microsoft has never specifically explained why the Xbox app doesn’t support a mobile store-like feature at present, but speculation suggests it’s related to the desire to avoid paying a hefty cut to Google.

VideoGamesChronicle reported: In October, a US judge issued a permanent injunction ordering Google to open its Android marketplace to competitors.

The ruling, which was supposed to come into force this month, means Goggle will not be allowed to block the distribution of third-party Android app stores through Google Play.

Bond says that because Google requested an emergency stay — essentially pausing the ruling to give it time to appeal a ruling that says “threatens Google Play’s ability to provide a safe and trusted user experience” — Xbox can’t add its promised features until this is lifted.”

In my opinion, it sounds like Google and Microsoft are unlikely to have the desire to help the other company.

Google Says The DOJ Would Hurt US Consumers

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Kent Walker, President, Global Affairs & Chief Legal Officer, Google & Alphabet, posted: “DOJ’s staggering proposal would hurt consumers and American’s global technology leadership”

As part of its lawsuit over how we distribute Search, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) tonight filed a staggering proposal that seeks dramatic changes to Google services.

DOJ had a chance to propose remedies related to the issue in this case: search distribution agreements with Apple, Mozilla, smartphone OEMs, and wireless carriers.

Instead, DOJ chose to push a radical interventionist agenda that would harm Americans and America’s global technology leadership. DOJ’s widely overbroad proposal goes miles beyond the Court’s decision. It would break a range of Google products — even beyond Search — that people live and find helpful in their everyday lives.

This extreme proposal would:

Endanger the security and privacy of millions of Americans, and undermine the quality of products people love, by forcing he sale of Chrome and potentially Android.

Require disclosure to unknown foreign and domestic companies of not just Google’s innovations and results, but even more troubling, Americans’ personal search queries.

Chill our investment in artificial intelligence, perhaps the most important innovation of our time, where Google plays a leading role.

Hurt innovative services, like Mozilla’s Firefox, whose businesses depend on charging Google for Search placement.

Deliberately hobble people’s ability to access Google Search.

Mandate government micromanagement of Google Search and other technologies by appointing a “Technical Committee” with enormous power of your online experience.

Endanger the security and privacy of millions of Americans, and undermine the quality of products people love, by forcing he sale of Chrome and potentially Android.

Require disclosure to unknown foreign and domestic companies of not just Google’s innovations and results, but even more troubling, Americans’ personal search queries.

Chill our investment in artificial intelligence, perhaps the most important innovation of our time, where Google plays a leading role.

Hurt innovative services, like Mozilla’s Firefox, whose businesses depend on charging Google for Search placement.

Deliberately hobble people’s ability to access Google Search.

Mandate government micromanagement of Google Search and other technologies by appointing a “Technical Committee” with enormous power of your online experience.

The Guardian reported: The US Department of Justice has proposed a far-reaching overhaul of Google’s structure and business practices, including the sale of its Crome browser, in a bid to end is monopoly on internet search.

The DOJ proposals follow a landmark court ruling in August in which a federal judge ruled that Google maintained an illegal monopoly over search services.

The proposals filed to a Washington federal court include the forced sale of the Crome browser and a five-year ban from entering the browser market; a block on paying third parties such as Apple to make Google the default search engine on their products; and divestment of the Android mobile operation system if the initial proposals do not work.

ArsTechnica reported: Yesterday, the US Department of Justice filed its proposed final judgement, officially recommending a broad range of remedies to end Google’s search monopoly.

Predictably, Google is not happy with the DOJ’s plan, which require the company to sell its Crome browser. It also retains the option of forcing Google to divest Android if competition doesn’t increase the behavioral remedies, including bans on exclusive default deals with other browsers and device makers.

Additionally, Google is prohibited from building any new browsers and must fund an education campaign that shows people how to switch search engines and potentially even pays people to switch.

Google may also be restricted from using its data scale advantage to benefit its AI products.

In my opinion, it appears that Google is trying very hard to blame the Department of Justice for the decisions that the DOJ made. It is clear that Google is not interested in making changes.

U.S. Weighs Google Breakup In Historic Big Tech AntiTrust Case

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The U.S. Justice Department is considering asking a federal judge to force Google to sell off parts of its business in what would be a historic breakup of one of the world’s biggest tech companies, Bloomberg reported.

Antitrust enforcers are weighing a breakup to mitigate the Alphabet Inc. business’s dominance in search, the agency said in a court filing on Tuesday, confirming an earlier Bloomberg News report. Judge Amit Mehta could also order Google to provide access to the underlying data it used to build its search results and artificial intelligence products, it said.

The Justice Department “is considering behavioral and structural remedies that would prevent Google from using products such as Chrome, Play, and Android to advantage Google search and Google search-related products and features,” the agency said.

The DOJ said in the filing that Google gained scale and data benefits from its illegal distribution agreements with other tech companies that made its search engine the default option on smartphones and web browsers. Google’s Android business encompasses the operating system used on smartphones and devices as well as apps

The Verge reported: After winning a fight to get Google’s search business declared an unlawful monopoly, the Department of Justice has released its initial proposal for how it’s thinking about limiting Google’s dominance — including breaking up the company.

The government is asking Judge Amit Mehta for four different types of remedies to Google’s anticompetitive power in search engines. They include behavioral remedies, or changes to business practices, as well as structural remedies, which would break up Google.

And they’re focused particularly on generative AI. While AI might not be a substitute for search engines, the DOJ warns, it “will likely become an important feature of the evolving industry.” And it aims to prevent Google from using its power in the industry to regain unfair control.

The government sees four areas where it can constrain Google’s power. In these, it’s asking Judge Mehta to limit the kinds of contracts Google can negotiate, require rules for nondiscrimination and interoperability, and change the structure of its business.

“Fully remedying these harms requires not only ending Google’s control of distribution today, but also ensuring Google cannot control the distribution of tomorrow,” the government says. 

Google, for it’s part, calls the government proposals “radical” and believes they’re “signaling requests that go far beyond the specific legal issues in this case.”

The Times reported: The term “structural remedies” doesn’t sound too intimidating for the uninitiated. In competition circles, however, it’s a corporate bombshell, giving it is shorthand for a forced-breakup.

The US Department of Justice has said it is considering pushing for this radical move to tackle the market dominance of Google, a $2 trillion business that processes 90 per cent of international searches in the United States.

If a break-up goes ahead — and that is far from certain — it would be the first such move in the US in more than 20 years when a move against Microsoft failed.

In my opinion, the potential break-up of Google will cause problems that Alphabet/Google didn’t want to face. 

Google Wins EU Antitrust Fine Fight

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Alphabet unit Google won a legal challenge on Wednesday against a 1.49 billion euro ($1.7 billion) European Union antitrust fine, while Qualcomm failed to repeal a penalty, Reuters reported.

The rulings underscore outgoing EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager’s mixed record in defending her crackdown on Big Tech in court. She scored two major wins last week against Google in a separate case and against Apple’s tax deal with Irish authorities.

The European Commission in its 2019 decision said Google had abused its dominance to prevent websites from using brokers other than it’s AdSense platform that provided search adverts. The practices it said were illegal took place from 2006 to 2016.

The Luxembourg-based General Court mostly agreed with the European Union competition enforcer’s assessments of the case, but annulled the fine, saying that the Commission had failed to take into account all the relevant circumstances.

According to Reuters, the AdSense fine, one of a trio of fines that have cost Google at total of 8.25 billion euros, was triggered by a complaint by Microsoft in 2010.

CNBC reported The European Union’s second-highest court on Wednesday said a 1.5 billion euro ($1.7 billion) fine imposed on Google by regulators should be annulled, siding with the U.S. tech giant after it challenged the ruling.

The case stems from 2019 when the European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, said Alphabet owned Google had abused its market dominance in relation to a product called AdSense for Search. This product allowed website owners to deliver ads into the search results on their own pages.

Google acts as an intermediary allowing advertisers to serve ads via search on third-party websites.

But the commission alleged that Google abused its market dominance by imposing a number of restrictive clauses in contracts with third-party websites, which ultimately prevented rivals from placing their search ads on these websites.

The commission fined Google 1.49 billion euros at the time. Google appeals, sending the case to the EU’s General Court.

The General Court said Wednesday that it “upholds the majority of the findings” but “annuls the decision by which the Commission imposed a fine of” nearly 1.5 billion euros.

The court added that the commission “failed to take into consideration all the relevant circumstances in its assessment of the duration of the contract clauses” that it had deemed abusive.

TechCrunch reported Google has succeeded in overturning a $1.7 billion antitrust penalty handed down by the European Union back in March 2019.

The €1.49 billion fine, which Google appealed, was originally issued after the European Commission found the tech giant’s search ads brokering business had violated competition rules between 2006 and 2016 to cement a dominant position.

On Wednesday, the EU’s General Court upheld the majority of EU’s findings, but annulled the earlier decision in its entirety after finding that the Commission had failed to take into consideration all the relevant circumstances when assessing the duration of the contract clauses it deemed abusive.

In my opinion, this is an unexpected win for Google. It is unclear to me why EU’s General Court decided to overturn it’s previous decisions regarding Google’s AdSense.

Google Will Now Link To The Internet Archive To Add More Context

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Rolling out starting today, Google Search results will now directly link to The Internet Archive to add historical context for the links in your results, 9TO5 Google reported.

Google Search makes it easy to find information, but occasionally you need a historical context for a page that may have been recently updated. That was previously possible to a certain extent through cached pages in Search, but that functionality was removed earlier this year.

Starting today, thought, Google Search will make it possible to see a whole lot more historical context for a link. 

Google has partnered with The Internet Archive, a non-profit research library that, in part, stores and preserves massive portions of the web to be easily referenced later. This is done through the “Wayback Machine” which can show a website or specific page as it existed on a previous date.

Internet Archive posted: New Feature Alert: Access Archived Webpages Directly Through Google Search

In a significant step forward for digital preservation, Google Search is now making it easier than ever to access the past. Starting today, users everywhere can view archived versions of webpages directly through Google Search, with a simple link to the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine.

How It Works

To access this new feature, conduct a search on Google as usual. Next to each search result, you’ll find three dots — clicking on these will bring up the “About this Result” panel. Within this panel, select “More About This Page” to reveal a link to the Wayback Machine page for that website.

Through this direct link, you’ll be able to view previous versions of a webpage via the Wayback Machine, offering a snapshot of how it appeared at different points in time.

The collaboration with Google underscores the importance of web archiving and expands the reach of the Wayback Machine, making it even easier for users to access and explore archived content. However, the link to archived webpages will not be available in instances where the rights holder has opted out of having their site archived or if the webpage violates content policies.

Gizmodo reported: What was once dead now lives again through the power of the Internet Archive. Seven months after killing the ability to see old versions of websites through Google, the search engine has partnered with the archive and is directly linking to its cached versions of websites on the Wayback Machine.

Websites change over time. The information on a URL constantly evolves. News stories are changed, blogs are stealth edited, and sometimes stuff just stops working. For more than 20 years, Google offered a way for users to view into the past and see stripped-down and archived versions of old sites.

In my opinion, it is good that the Internet Archive, in connection with Google, is going to continue allowing people to access older content from the Wayback Machine. 

Google’s Second Antitrust Trial Could Help Shape The Future Of Online Ads

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A month after losing a landmark antitrust case brought by the Department of Justice, Google is headed back to court to face off for a second time against federal prosecutors, CNBC reported.

In August, a judge ruled that Google has held a monopoly in internet search, marking the biggest antitrust ruling in the tech industry since the case against Microsoft more than 20 years ago. This time, Google is defending itself against claims that its advertising business has acted as a monopoly that’s led to higher ad prices for customers.

The trial begins in Alexandria, Virginia, on Monday and will likely last for at least several weeks. It represents the first tech antitrust trial from a case brought by the Biden administration. The department’s earlier lawsuit was first filed in October 2020, when Donald Trump was in the White House.

The Washington Post reported Google makes lots of money but has a miserable year in court, and its judicial travails are far from over.

In the waining days of 2023, a federal jury in San Francisco declared Google’s app store an illegal monopoly. In August, a federal judge in D.C. made the same determination for the keystone of its more than $300 billion in annual revenue: the Google search engine. And on Monday, the company goes on trial again, in Virginia, this time on monopoly charges related to its online business.

Monopoly charges of that magnitude are a rarity. Google is one of the only handful of corporate giants to be taken to court since the 1970s under federal monopoly law. For decades since, U.S. officials have treated high-tech companies gingerly, leery of damaging the nation’s economic engines and of punishing exemplars of innovation and free enterprise. 

The string of cases against Google suggests an end to that reluctance, reflecting instead a shift toward heavier oversight as concerns have grown across the political spectrum over tech giants throwing their weight around.

The Verge reported Google and the Justice Department are set for a rematch of sorts on Monday when they return to court to argue about Google’s alleged monopolistic behavior over how ads are bought and sold on the internet.

The DOJ is fresh off a win in its search antitrust case against Google, where a federal judge in Washington, DC, agreed that Google had illegally monopolized the online search market. This time, the two parties will argue before a different judge in Virginia about whether Google has also illegally monopolized markets for advertising technology.

The DOJ is arguing that Google illegally monopolized the market for ad tech tools across the ecosystem. That includes the demand side of ad networks for buying space on websites, the supply side of publisher ad servers for hawking advertising inventory, and the exchanges like Google AdX that sit between the two.

In my opinion, it appears that Google could – potentially – face additional lawsuits, depending upon what the judge decides.