In case you thought conference season was over for the tech giants, think again. Google hosted their own conference last week, known as Google I/O, where they talked about everything from privacy to Google Assistant to their research into utilizing AI helping to find lung cancer before the human eye can even see it. Ya know, nbd.
But there are some developments that are worth highlighting from the keynote address. Here’s some of the more interesting they discussed:
AR Integration in Google Search
Ever want to know how big a Great White Shark is in comparison to your couch? Soon you can! Google announced that AR would be coming to Search sometime within the 2019. How it works is that when you search for something, you will have the option within Google’s info panels to see a model. From there you can view it in AR. While not everything you can search will have an accompanying model and AR, some of the examples they showed was a model of muscle flexion within a human arm, a pair of New Balance Shoes that you could view in full 360 degrees and place next to a new outfit, and – of course – a Great White Shark.
Google Assistant Updates
Book a hotel, car rental, and make a reservation by just asking for it. While you can already make a restaurant reservation via the Google Assistant, Google is expanding to allow other services the chance to get in on the action. Also, Assistant will scrub your Google accounts, such as Calendar and Gmail, to auto fill information for you. Now, no more having to type in all that information! Just double-check to make sure everything looks correct and then send (which you can also do with your voice)!
So. Much. Privacy.
The theme continues. While Facebook launched their conference with “The future is private,” Google announced their own: “Privacy should not be a luxury good.” While their statement was directed towards Apple and their famously expensive products, it was accompanied by new features and changes that would be rolling out across many Google platforms in the coming months. There are going to be easier access to privacy settings across all Google Apps, so you can access them quickly. Incognito modes for Maps, YouTube, and Search apps, so they privacy can follow you on the go. And, finally, being able to set up auto delete for your info so you never having to think about it! Soon, you’ll be able to set up your Google accounts to delete your information every 3 or 18 months, or continue deleting it manually.
… And the Kitchen Sink, Too
If you want to know about some of the frankly very cool research Google is doing, you can read more here! Highlights include: Live transcription of conversation, translation of images in real time, and efforts to make Google Assistant easier to use for those with speech impairments. And, of course, working with medical professionals in order to implement AI to make diagnoses happen faster and with more accuracy.
Missed Facebook F8 Conference? Don’t worry, we have your recaps for Day 1 and Day 2 right here!
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