Google

TikTok struggles to stop the spread of hateful AI videos

Google’s Veo 3 video generator has enabled a new wave of racist AI content to spread across TikTok, despite both platforms having strict policies banning hate speech.

According to MediaMatters, several TikTok accounts have shared AI-generated videos promoting antisemitic and anti-Black stereotypes, many of which still circulated widely before being removed.

These short, highly realistic videos often included offensive depictions, and the visible ‘Veo’ watermark confirmed their origin from Google’s model.

While both TikTok and Google officially prohibit the creation and distribution of hateful material, enforcement has been patchy. TikTok claims to use both automated systems and human moderators, yet the overwhelming volume of uploads appears to have delayed action.

Although TikTok says it banned over half the accounts before MediaMatters’ findings were published, harmful videos still managed to reach large audiences.

Google also maintains a Prohibited Use Policy banning hate-driven content. However, Veo 3’s advanced realism and difficulty detecting coded prompts make it easier for users to bypass safeguards.

Testing by reporters suggests the model is more permissive than previous iterations, raising concerns about its ability to filter out offensive material before it is created.

With Google planning to integrate Veo 3 into YouTube Shorts, concerns are rising that harmful content may soon flood other platforms. TikTok and Google appear to lack the enforcement capacity to keep pace with the abuse of generative AI.

Despite strict rules on paper, both companies are struggling to prevent their technology from fuelling racist narratives at scale.

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Gemini AI suite expands to help teachers plan and students learn

Google has unveiled a major expansion of its Gemini AI tools tailored for classroom use, launching over 30 features to support teachers and students. These updates include personalised AI-powered lesson planning, content generation, and interactive study guides.

Teachers can now create custom AI tutors, known as ‘Gems’, to assist students with specific academic needs using their own teaching materials. Google’s AI reading assistant is also gaining real-time support features through the Read Along tool in Classroom, enhancing literacy development for younger users.

Students and teachers will benefit from wider access to Google Vids, the company’s video creation app, enabling them to create instructional content and complete multimedia assignments.

Additional features aim to monitor student progress, manage AI permissions, improve data security, and streamline classroom content delivery using new Class tools.

By placing AI directly into the hands of educators, Google aims to offer more engaging and responsive learning, while keeping its tools aligned with classroom goals and policies. The rollout continues Google’s bid to take the lead in the evolving AI-driven edtech space.

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ChatGPT emerges as a search alternative, but Google holds ground

ChatGPT is now used by over 400 million people weekly and ranks the eighth most visited website globally. While many users rely on it for tasks like writing, productivity, and planning, a growing number are also turning to it for search — a space long dominated by Google.

Despite its popularity, experts say ChatGPT won’t fully replace Google. Rohan Sarin, a former product lead at Google and Microsoft, argues that the two serve different purposes. Google excels at direct, fact-based queries, while ChatGPT is better suited for exploration and synthesis.

‘Google connects users to the raw internet,’ Sarin notes, ‘whereas ChatGPT acts as an interpreter, helping users frame ideas and questions.’

The comparison also highlights user behaviour. While Google remains the tool of choice for verifying information, Sarin points out that many users want ‘something that works’, not necessarily precision — a strength of ChatGPT’s fast, ad-free responses.

However, industry experts don’t expect Google’s dominance to end soon. Eric M. Hoover, SEO director at Jellyfish, says Google’s integration of AI tools like Gemini and AI Overviews will help it stay competitive. ‘Search is still built into browsers, apps, and digital ecosystems,’ he adds.

Rather than one replacing the other, experts believe both platforms will coexist. ChatGPT is changing how we explore information, but Google’s role in search remains vital — especially for accuracy and source verification. For now, the best approach may not be choosing one tool over the other but knowing when to use each.

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Google Doppl, the new AI app, turns outfit photos into try-on videos

Google has unveiled Doppl, a new AI-powered app that lets users create short videos of themselves wearing any outfit they choose.

Instead of relying on imagination or guesswork, Doppl allows people to upload full-body photos and apply outfits seen on social media, thrift shops, or friends, creating animated try-ons that bring static images to life.

The app builds on Google’s earlier virtual try-on tools integrated with its Shopping Graph. Doppl pushes things further by transforming still photos into motion videos, showing how clothes flow and fit in movement.

Users can upload their full-body image or choose an AI model to preview outfits. However, Google warns that the fit and details might not always be accurate at an early stage.

Doppl is currently only available in the US for Android and iOS users aged 18 or older. While Google encourages sharing videos with friends and followers, the tool raises concerns about misuse, such as generating content using photos of others.

Google’s policy requires disclosure if someone impersonates another person, but the company admits that some abuse may occur. To address the issue, Doppl content will include invisible watermarks for tracking.

In its privacy notice, Google confirmed that user uploads and generated videos will be used to improve AI technologies and services. However, data will be anonymised and separated from user accounts before any human review is allowed.

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Google releases free Gemini CLI tool for developers

Google has introduced Gemini CLI, a free, open-source AI tool that connects developers directly to its Gemini AI models. The new agentic utility allows developers to request debugging, generate code, and run commands using natural language within their terminal environment.

Built as a lightweight interface, Gemini CLI provides a streamlined way to interact with Gemini. While its coding features stand out, Google says the tool handles content creation, deep research, and complex task management across various workflows.

Gemini CLI uses Gemini 2.5 Pro for coding and reasoning tasks by default. Still, it can also connect to other AI models, such as Imagen and Veo, for image and video generation. It supports the Model Context Protocol (MCP) and integrates with Gemini Code Assist.

Moreover, the tool is available on Windows, MacOS, and Linux, offering developers a free usage tier. Access through Vertex AI or AI Studio is available on a pay-as-you-go basis for advanced setups involving multiple agents or custom models.

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Microsoft family safety blocks Google Chrome on Windows 11

Windows 11 users have reported that Google Chrome crashes and fails to reopen when Microsoft family safety parental controls are active.

The issue appears to be linked to Chrome’s recent update, version 137.0.7151.68 and does not affect users of Microsoft Edge under the same settings.

Google acknowledged the problem and provided a workaround involving changes to family safety settings, such as unblocking Chrome or adjusting content filters.

Microsoft has not issued a formal statement, but its family safety FAQ confirms that non-Edge browsers are blocked from web filtering.

Users are encouraged to update Google Chrome to version 138.0.7204.50 to address other security concerns recently disclosed by Google.

The update aims to patch vulnerabilities that could let attackers bypass security policies and run malicious code.

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Gemini Robotics On-Device: Google’s AI model for offline robotic tasks

On Tuesday, 24 June, Google’s DeepMind division announced the release of a new large language model named Gemini Robotics On-Device, designed to operate locally on robotic systems.

In a blog post, the company stated that the AI model has been optimised to function efficiently on-device and demonstrates strong general-purpose dexterity and task generalisation capabilities.

The offline model is an advancement of the earlier Gemini Robotics system introduced in March this year. Unlike cloud-based models, this version can operate offline, making it suitable for limited connectivity or critical latency.

Engineered for robots with dual arms, Gemini Robotics On-Device is designed to require minimal computational resources.

It can execute fine motor tasks such as folding garments and unzipping bags. According to Google, the model responds to natural language prompts, enabling more intuitive human-robot interaction.

The company claims the model outperforms comparable on-device alternatives, especially when completing complex, multi-step instructions or handling unfamiliar tasks. Benchmark results indicate that its performance closely approaches that of Google’s cloud-based AI solutions.

Initially developed for ALOHA robots, the on-device model has since been adapted for other systems, including the bi-arm Franka FR3 robot and the Apollo humanoid.

On the Franka FR3, the model followed diverse instructions and managed unfamiliar objects and environments, including industrial tasks like belt assembly. The system demonstrated general object manipulation in previously unseen contexts on the Apollo humanoid.

Developers interested in trialling Gemini Robotics On-Device can access it via the provided software development kit (SDK).

Google joins other major players exploring AI for robotics. At GTC 2025, NVIDIA introduced Groot N1, an AI system for humanoid robots, while Hugging Face is currently developing its own open-source, AI-powered robotic platform.

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Google launches AI Mode Search in India

Google has launched its advanced AI Mode search experience in India, allowing users to explore information through more natural and complex interactions.

The feature, previously available as an experiment in the US, can now be enabled in English via Search Labs. Users test experimental tools on this platform and share feedback on early Google Search features.

Once activated, AI Mode introduces a new tab in the Search interface and Google app. It offers expanded reasoning capabilities powered by Gemini 2.5, enabling queries through text, voice, or images.

The shift supports deeper exploration by allowing follow-up questions and offering diverse web links, helping users understand topics from multiple viewpoints.

India plays a key role in this rollout due to its widespread visual and voice search use.

According to Hema Budaraju, Vice President of Product Management for Search, more users in India engage with Google Lens each month than anywhere else. AI Mode reflects Google’s broader goal of making information accessible across different formats.

Google also highlighted that over 1.5 billion people globally use AI Overviews monthly. These AI-generated summaries, which appear at the top of search results, have driven a 10% rise in user engagement for specific types of queries in both India and the US.

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Apple considers buying Perplexity AI

Apple is reportedly considering the acquisition of Perplexity AI as it attempts to catch up in the fast-moving race for dominance in generative technology.

According to Bloomberg, the discussions involve senior executives, including Eddy Cue and merger head Adrian Perica, who remain at an early stage.

Such a move would significantly shift Apple, which typically avoids large-scale takeovers. However, with investor pressure mounting after an underwhelming developer conference, the tech giant may rethink its traditionally cautious acquisition strategy.

Perplexity has gained prominence for its fast, clear AI chatbot and recently secured funding at a $14 billion valuation.

Should Apple proceed, the acquisition would be the company’s largest ever financially and strategically, potentially transforming its position in AI and reducing its long-standing dependence on Google’s search infrastructure.

Apple’s slow development of Siri and reliance on a $20 billion revenue-sharing deal with Google have left it trailing rivals. With that partnership now under regulatory scrutiny in the US, Apple may view Perplexity as a vital step towards building a more autonomous search and AI ecosystem.

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EU adviser backs Android antitrust ruling against Google

An adviser to the Court of Justice of the European Union has supported the EU’s antitrust ruling against Google, recommending the dismissal of its appeal over a €4.1bn fine. The case concerns Google’s use of its Android mobile system to limit competition through pre-installed apps and contractual restrictions.

The original €4.34bn fine was imposed by the European Commission in 2018 and later reduced by the General Court.

Google then appealed to the EU’s top court, but Advocate-General Juliane Kokott concluded that Google’s practices gave it unfair market advantages.

Kokott rejected Google’s argument that its actions should be assessed against an equally efficient competitor, noting Google’s dominance in the Android ecosystem and the robust network effects it enjoys.

She argued that bundling Google Search and Chrome with the Play Store created barriers for competitors.

The final court ruling is expected in the coming months and could shape Google’s future regulatory obligations in Europe. Google has already incurred over €8 billion in the EU antitrust fines across several investigations.

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