In nearly 13 years as a technology journalist, I've never felt as overwhelmed by information as I did after listening to Google's 2024 I/O keynote on Tuesday. From Gemini, Gemma, Gem, Veo, Astra to Learn LM, Google has brought out so much stuff that I'm sure I'm not the only one feeling dizzy.
And while I've worked hard to stay on the cutting edge of technology reporting, I'm sure some of you listening to this announcement are having a hard time fully understanding what happened. To casual observers, that doesn't bode well. -A face and rosy cheeks that just want to know how Google's AI can help make you a better person.
I am not going to elaborate on the information here. CNET has a talented team of expert writers already working on that initiative. But I think this issue needs to be addressed if Google is to move further into becoming his AI-first behemoth.
Google I/O 2024 details
Google I/O is primarily an event for developers. It is aimed at programmers, researchers, and app creators, most of whom will already be familiar with terms like “tokens” and “large-scale language models.” So in some ways, the cacophony of information and jargon that airs on Tuesday is to be expected.
But Google also needs to appeal to consumers. It needs to get everyday users like you and me excited about the possibilities of the product and help them understand exactly how they fit into our lives. I may be a technology journalist, but I'm also an everyday technology fan. I'm both an Android and iOS phone user. I use Gmail, Google Drive, Docs, and Maps. I'm a photographer and host of a YouTube channel. Most of today's announcements relate in some way to somewhere in my life, but I'm having a hard time understanding what it even is, let alone what it does.
Google ended up saying “AI” 124 times in its keynote speech. I understand less and less.
Screenshot by Google/CNET
Is Project Astra the same as Gemini? Or Gemma? Are they all associated with Learn LM or is it something else? Is this a replacement for Google Assistant? At this point, I honestly don't know. A big part of my job is understanding all of this and explaining it. Therefore, I plan to spend much of my future time reading my colleagues' writing on this very topic. If you're interested in his AI efforts at Google, I highly recommend doing the same.
But I don't like reading too much just to understand the basics. I strongly believe that you should never read product manuals. If you have to read it, the product has failed in its usability. That's exactly how I felt about today's keynote speech.
We'd love to talk to you about why Gemma is an exciting step forward for AI. But I just can't do it.
Screenshot by Google/CNET
To be honest, we can't put all the blame on Google. AI, especially generative AI, is emerging and evolving so quickly that I already find myself feeling out of place. Last year, Google was talking about Bard. But, oh no, now I'm not a bard, I'm a Gemini – come on, follow me. This is similar to how I felt when terms like “blockchain” first started being used, and to be honest, I still can't explain what it is.
In addition to ChatGPT, Samsung's Galaxy AI, and Meta AI, new AI-based devices like the Rabbit R1 and Humane AI Pin have arrived. There is so much going on about AI, but there seems to be little consensus on how exactly the term AI should be applied. The result is fragmentation and confusion of reality. My friends and family often ask me about AI. You will be asked which chatbot to use (if any) and how to generate the AI ​​images. And he struggles to give them meaningful answers, let alone refer them to his helpful AI Atlas from CNET.
Google, like other technology companies, needs us as consumers to understand this. If they want us to be excited, they need us to know what these AI tools are and how transformative they are. And if we're excited about them, we'll probably buy them. Perhaps, thanks to Gemini and its probably very attractive video question service, we will choose his next Pixel smartphone.
Oh, wait, now it's Gem? What are gems?
Screenshot by Google/CNET
But a two-hour straight presentation that even the most experienced technology reporters would scratch their heads and have a hard time understanding is not the way to do it. Google has spent a lot of time talking about how good its AI is at summarizing things. Perhaps it's time to use those tools themselves.
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