INDUSTRY | I/O 2021 Laxitha Mundhra [email protected]

Google next: From crossing language barriers to The big tech event is back with exciting announcements. Google is working on a range of features and apps that will, in short, make your life a bit easier

fter a break in 2020, Google’s developer program Google I/O made a comeback this year. The tech giant held its virtual conference Afor developers at its Mountain View, California headquarters during May 18-20 and also announced several new developments. The year’s launch witnessed quite a lot of upgrades to the existing services like and , an enhanced camera app, improved WearOS, new artificial intelligence, new security and privacy features and a lot more. Here are five key highlights from the Google I/O event that you must know.

#1 witty responses. Thus, LaMDA may make interaction a Next-gen AI to reduce language barriers little more natural in future. During the Google I/O event, Alphabet CEO Sundar Google also unveiled a new Quantum AI campus in Pichai praised the firm’s efforts to reduce the language Santa Barbara, California. The company aims to build barrier on the web with translation services and Google 1,000,000 physical qubits that would work inside an error- . “We’ve also used AI to improve the core search corrected quantum computer. experience for billions of people,” he added. “Yet, there are still moments when computers just don’t understand us. #2 That’s because language is endlessly complex… LaMDA, More accessible and smarter Google Maps our latest research breakthrough, adds pieces to one of the The tech giant announced that Google Maps will use most tantalising sections of that puzzle: conversation.” (ML) to reduce hard-braking experiences. LaMDA is a new language model the company is working ‘Hard-braking’ is when you slam hard on your brakes due on, which is much better at following conversations in a to sudden traffic movement or confusion about which natural way, rather than as a series of badly formed search highway exit to take. Google Maps will now calculate the queries. What differentiates LaMDA is that it was trained on best route based on a lot of factors, like how many lanes dialogue. Google has emphasised ‘training’ it to produce a road has or how direct the route is. sensible and specific responses. It said that while generic It will identify the two fastest route options for you, replies like “That’s nice” or “I don’t know” are sensible, and then automatically recommend the one with fewer they are not good enough. At Google I/O, and later in a hard-braking moments. Further, the company aims blog post about LaMDA, the conversational AI didn’t just to add accessibility features where Local Guides and provide direct answers like , but even Places on the Map will also tell you whether they are

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AT I/O, GOOGLE SHARED A PREVIEW OF AN AI-POWERED DERMATOLOGY ASSIST TOOL, WHICH WILL HELP YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT’S GOING ON WITH YOUR SKIN, HAIR AND NAILS.

disability-inclusive with a wheelchair-accessible entrance, That is, it will create an animation based on spiralling wheelchair-accessible restroom, wheelchair-accessible movements between two images. For example, if you parking and so on. take three close back-to-back shots, Google Photos will draw a parallel to create one animation or GIF. #3 Also, there would be password protection, that is, Google for better health you’d be able to put your pictures behind a password. Globally, skin conditions affect about two billion people. They won’t appear when you are scrolling through the Approximately 40 million women undergo breast cancer app. On , you’ll even have the option to save photos screening every year in the US alone, and TB infects and videos directly to your locked folder right from the 10 million people per year. At Google I/O, the company camera. Google also announced upgrades to its camera reiterated its commitment to explore if AI could improve app, saying it was working on a feature that would make the screening process for these diseases. the camera more inclusive of darker skin tones. At I/O, Google shared a preview of an AI-powered dermatology assist tool. It will help you understand what’s #5 going on with your skin, hair and nails. Using many of the Finally, Android 12 – ‘Material You’ same techniques that detect diabetic eye disease or lung Google I/O also provided a glimpse of the new design of cancer in CT scans, this tool gets you closer to identifying Android 12 named ‘Material You’. The company released skin, hair and nail issues using your phone’s camera. For the first beta of Android 12 to allow users to check out each matching condition, the tool will show dermatologist- some of the features. Android 12 comes with a lot of reviewed information and answers to commonly asked changes and a personalisation option. On Pixel devices, questions, along with similar matching images from the users will be able to completely personalise their phone web. Of course, this is meant to provide you information with a custom colour palette and redesigned widgets. and not a diagnosis. “We’ve also simplified interactions and recrafted the The company also announced that to help detect TB entire underlying system to make your experience more early and work toward eventually eradicating it, Google fluid and efficient. Your Android devices are now faster researchers have developed an AI-based tool that builds and more responsive with better power efficiency; you on existing work in medical imaging to identify potential can use your device for longer without a charge,” the TB patients for follow-up testing. In January 2020, the company said. It added that the notification shade is company was already studying the use of AI to detect more intuitive and playful. Further, Quick Settings will let breast cancers via X-ray and CT scan reports. Although you control practically the entire operating system with a the findings have materialised as conclusive proofs, the AI swipe and a tap. is still under development, the company has noted. Android 12 will also provide a more transparent view of which apps are accessing your data (and what). “We’ve #4 added a new indicator to the top right of your status Google Photos, upgraded bar so you know when your apps are accessing your The company announced that now it will use neural microphone or camera. And if you want to remove app networks to synthesise the movement between two nearly access to these sensors for the entire system, we’ve identical photos and fill in the gaps with new frames. added two new toggles in Quick Settings.”

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