Google just launched a selfie video sign-in option for Google Accounts, giving users a way back in when they get locked out or lose their devices. It works by having you complete guided head turns to verify real-time liveness and protect against deepfakes. All video data is encrypted and can be deleted at any time.
Google researchers just unveiled a reinforcement learning system that recalibrates quantum computers in real time without halting computation. By learning from error-correction signals to continuously steer thousands of control parameters, the autonomous agent slashed logical error rates by 20%. Why it matters: Useful quantum algorithms need to run for days or months, and tuning the hardware while the music plays eliminates one of quantum computing's biggest operational bottlenecks.
Google just launched Gemini 3.6 Flash, 3.5 Flash-Lite, and 3.5 Flash Cyber, explicitly engineered for agentic workflows. 3.6 Flash cuts output token bloat by 17% with better coding marks at lower prices, while Flash-Lite pushes 350 tokens per second at $0.30 per million input tokens. Why it matters: running multi-step production agents just got significantly cheaper and faster.
Major publishers including Reddit and Politico are considering blocking Google's web crawler as AI search summaries slash web traffic and ad revenue. Semrush data shows outlets like CNN and Business Insider seeing search visits drop by 31%. With existing training data deals nearing expiration, publishers are actively reassessing whether feeding Google's Gemini models is still worth the trade-off.
Adobe just updated its experimental Project Indigo camera app with an "AI Playground" suite, adding generative filters, object removal, and photo reshoot feedback. Surprisingly, the tool currently leans on Google's Nano Banana model rather than Adobe's own Firefly. It is rolling out to a small group of users as a test with an opt-out toggle.
Google is reportedly developing a custom server chip called "Frozen v2" that physically etches Gemini model architecture into silicon to cut data movement. Slated for 2028, it could deliver 6 to 10 times more tokens per watt than current TPUs, targeting a cloud compute crunch that has forced Google to turn away customers.
Google just rolled out Gemini Omni editing and personal avatars to Google Vids. Users can now fine-tune lighting or swap backgrounds using conversational prompts, or generate a personal digital clone from a selfie and voice clip to deliver video updates camera-free. The features are available to Google AI Pro, Ultra, and Workspace business subscribers, complete with invisible SynthID watermarks.
Google just rebranded NotebookLM to Gemini Notebook, folding its research tool deeper into the broader Gemini ecosystem. The update adds a secure cloud computer under the hood, allowing it to write and execute code natively for heavy data analysis. Ultra subscribers get access now, with web Pro rollouts coming in the next few weeks.
Google just rolled out connected apps inside Search’s AI Mode for U.S. users, linking external services directly into search results. You can now add recipe items straight to an Instacart cart, pull up Canva templates, or save curated playlists to YouTube Music without switching tabs. Google plans to expand to more partner apps soon.
Google just fell months behind schedule releasing its flagship Gemini 3.5 Pro model after it failed internal coding benchmarks. A late-June attempt to refresh training data yielded disappointing results, and competing internal teams across Cloud, DeepMind, and Android are compounding delays. Alphabet shares slid 3.2% as engineers voice frustration over falling behind OpenAI and Anthropic.
A heavyweight coalition of publishers, including Hachette and Elsevier, just slapped Google with a class-action lawsuit for allegedly training Gemini on copyrighted books without permission. The complaint claims Google intentionally scrubbed copyright details to conceal the practice, citing an internal memo that warned the company could face up to $100 billion in fines.
Google just brought text-to-image generation directly into Search AI Overviews to mark Google Images' 25th anniversary. Powered by its latest Nano Banana model, the tool turns text prompts into custom visuals alongside a newly redesigned personalized browse gallery. Both features roll out in English over the coming weeks.
Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis just called for a US-led global AI watchdog modeled after the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. The proposed body would include independent experts and open-source representatives to evaluate frontier models pre-release and coordinate an industry-wide slowdown if systems become too risky. Hassabis has reportedly briefed the Trump administration and hopes to launch it before year's end.
xAI's Grok Build CLI was caught silently packaging and uploading users' entire code repositories—including Git histories, SSH keys, and secrets—to Google Cloud storage. The company has since disabled the uploads server-side, and Elon Musk promised all previously synced user data will be utterly purged.
Google just rolled out Gemini in Chrome to desktop users in the UK, with iOS support arriving next month. The built-in assistant lets you summarize content, compare information across multiple tabs, and interact with Google apps without leaving the page. It also integrates Nano Banana 2 for prompt-based image edits and features defenses against prompt injection.
Sam Altman just called out Elon Musk for pitching "short-term space datacenters" to investors, and experts agree with him. Space startups and Google's orbital compute team note that orbital AI processing won't scale without cheap, truly reusable rockets and low-cost satellites. While SpaceX plans early flights next year, true commercial scale remains a story for the 2030s.
Waze just rolled out a batch of AI-powered updates on Android and iOS, bringing Gemini conversational search to help users find spots like cheap gas or open cafes naturally. The update also adds a dedicated motorcycle mode for two-wheeler-friendly routes and a "less chatty" option to cut down voice prompts. Gemini search is rolling out to beta testers first.
Google just made AlphaEvolve generally available on Google Cloud. Built on top of Gemini, the agent autonomously navigates vast algorithmic search spaces through a four-step evolutionary loop to optimize production code in logistics, chip design, and HPC. Why it matters: Teams can now automate tough algorithmic breakthroughs that were once too complex or time-consuming for human engineers to tackle manually.
Google Photos just rolled out Video Remix, a Gemini Omni-powered feature that turns plain clips into stylized videos in seconds. Users can apply cinematic relighting, swap out drab backgrounds, or slap on artistic effects like watercolor and oil painting. It is rolling out to eligible Google AI subscribers in select regions.
Hi3D just launched an end-to-end 3D printing workflow that turns text prompts into manufacturable 3MF files in about five minutes. Unlike visual-only 3D tools, it generates watertight meshes, splits models into printable parts, and calculates press-fit and ball joints automatically. Why it matters: It removes hours of manual CAD cleanup, bringing AI manufacturing to anyone with a 3D printer.
