Google DeepMind has introduced a series of new products and prototypes that could help them lead in the development of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), MIT Technology Review reports (unpaywalled copy).

One major announcement is Gemini 2.0, which is an updated version of their large language models. These models are multimodal, meaning they can handle different types of data like text, images, and video. Gemini 2.0 focuses on controlling agents, which are AI systems that can act on their own to complete tasks.

Alongside Gemini 2.0, Google DeepMind is working on Project Astra. This is an experimental app that aims to be a universal assistant, capable of dealing with various tasks through different inputs like speech or images. In a live demo, Astra showed it could integrate with Google’s apps, like Search and Maps, to respond to user queries. It can even remember past interactions, which adds a personal touch to its assistance.

Another new addition is Mariner, an agent that can browse the web for you. There’s also Jules, a coding assistant powered by Gemini, and a gaming assistant for tips while playing video games. These projects show Google’s push towards AI that can perform actions independently but under supervision.

Faster and better

Gemini 2.0 is said to be much faster than its predecessor, Gemini 1.5, and does better on various benchmarks, like MMLU-Pro, which tests AI on subjects ranging from math to philosophy.

MIT Technology Review tested Project Astra with real-world scenarios like suggesting wine for a meal or discussing art. Mistakes were easily corrected with simple spoken commands, much like teaching a child.

Researchers outside Google are intrigued by the blend of different data types and the memory capability of Astra. However, despite the excitement, there’s still a lot of work to be done before Project Astra is widely available. There’s no set release date, and while there are demos with smart glasses, that’s even further off.

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