Google has introduced a major update to its AI-powered note-taking platform, NotebookLM. Users will soon be able to upload YouTube URLs and audio files, such as mp3 and wav formats, for analysis by the Gemini AI.
Previously, NotebookLM allowed users to interact with documents like Google Docs, PDFs, and web pages. Now, a new sharing feature enables public URL generation for Audio Overviews, enhancing collaboration.
NotebookLM’s latest features position it as a strong rival to Microsoft OneNote’s Copilot and Notion AI. Gemini is also integrated into Google Workspace, offering business customers enterprise-grade data protection.
Google has partnered with Volkswagen to provide key artificial intelligence capabilities for a new in-app assistant designed to assist drivers. The AI-powered assistant, available through a smartphone app, allows users to ask questions or point their cameras at vehicle dashboards for immediate, relevant information.
The assistant uses Google’s Gemini large language models, which are capable of processing and generating predictive responses based on human language. The tool was developed by incorporating Volkswagen manuals and YouTube videos related to vehicle maintenance into the AI’s database.
Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian highlighted the complexity of the project, explaining that it goes beyond simple speech-to-text translation. The AI’s multimodal capabilities, which process text, images, and videos, were essential to its development.
Currently available to around 120,000 Volkswagen Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport owners, the assistant will roll out to more models by next year. Google aims to expand its enterprise AI solutions through ventures like this, particularly as cloud computing continues to grow as a key segment of its business.
Google has filed a formal complaint with the European Commission over Microsoft’s cloud business practices. The tech giant argues that Microsoft uses its dominant position with Windows Server to stifle competition and lock customers into its Azure platform. Specifically, Google claims Microsoft enforces heavy mark-ups on users of rival cloud services and restricts access to essential security updates.
The dispute follows a recent settlement where Microsoft paid €20 million to resolve concerns raised by European cloud providers. However, the agreement excluded key rivals like Google and Amazon Web Services (AWS), fuelling further criticism. Google insists only regulatory action will halt what it sees as Microsoft’s monopolistic approach, urging the EU to step in and ensure fair competition.
Microsoft denies the accusations, stating they have settled similar issues amicably with other European providers. A Microsoft spokesperson expressed confidence that Google would fail to persuade the European Commission, as it had failed with EU businesses.
Google believes immediate intervention is necessary to prevent the cloud market from becoming increasingly restrictive. They warn that Microsoft’s influence over the European cloud sector, which is growing rapidly, could limit options for customers and hurt competitors.
Several global players, including Google, Norway’s sovereign wealth fund, and UBS, have teamed up to support a bid to manage the UK’s upcoming real-time bond tape system. The bond tape is designed to consolidate market data, allowing investors greater transparency in bond transactions. This initiative is expected to enhance the UK’s capital markets and provide better visibility of the best deals.
The bond trading market, often fragmented, has seen limited price transparency due to its bilateral nature. A bond tape system, long used on Wall Street, could bridge this gap, helping market participants by offering a clear data feed. British regulators plan to begin the tendering process to select a company to operate this system by the end of 2024, with the expectation of it being fully functional by 2026.
Ediphy, a technology firm in London specialising in fixed income markets, has taken the lead in the effort. Collaborating with key partners like Cboe Global Markets, FactSet, and TP ICAP, Ediphy’s goal is to ensure the system is transparent and fair. Google Cloud could also play a crucial role by storing the system’s data.
While many in the financial sector back the bond tape initiative, exchanges remain hesitant, fearing the impact on their profitable data streams. Ediphy’s CEO, Chris Murphy, stressed that it’s essential to create a balanced and affordable system to avoid delays in its implementation.
Tech giants Google and Nvidia are increasing their focus on AI in India. The companies made the announcement following a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his recent US visit, signalling plans for deeper involvement in AI development across the country.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang commended Prime Minister Modi’s keen interest in AI and its potential to transform industries. Huang also recognised growing tech talent and startup ecosystem, which he views as vital to AI innovation and development. Nvidia has formed various partnerships in India to help scale AI capabilities.
Google CEO Sundar Pichai emphasised the Prime Minister’s push for India to adopt AI across sectors, including healthcare, education, and agriculture. Pichai confirmed Google’s intention to continue robust investments in AI to help further India’s digital transformation and ensure AI benefits the wider population.
Both Google and Nvidia are committed to supporting India’s technological growth, recognising its pivotal role in shaping the future of AI globally. Their collaboration with the Indian government aims to boost innovation and provide advanced AI solutions for various industries.
Speaking at the UN Summit of the Future 2024, Google CEO Sundar Pichai described AI as the most transformative technology yet and announced a $120 million Global AI Opportunity Fund. The fund would provide AI education and training worldwide through partnerships with local NGOs and nonprofits.
Pichai highlighted four key areas where AI can contribute to sustainable development: language accessibility, scientific discovery, climate disaster alerts, and economic progress. He stressed the importance of harnessing AI for global advancement while addressing its risks.
He also warned of the potential for an ‘AI divide,’ where some regions may need to catch up in access to the technology. To combat this, Pichai called for smart global regulations that mitigate harm without promoting national protectionism, which could limit the benefits of AI.
Although Pichai did not mention the environmental impacts of AI, he emphasised the need for balanced regulation to ensure equal access and opportunities for AI development worldwide.
Generative AI is significantly more energy-intensive than traditional search engines, according to researcher Sasha Luccioni, who has raised concerns about the environmental impact of the technology. Generating new information requires vast computing power and energy, particularly for models like ChatGPT, which rely on extensive data training.
The AI and cryptocurrency sectors consumed nearly 460 terawatt hours of electricity in 2022, around two percent of global production, according to the International Energy Agency. Luccioni, a leading expert on AI’s climate impact, has developed tools to quantify the carbon footprint of AI technologies, helping developers make informed decisions.
Efforts to mitigate the environmental consequences of AI are underway. Luccioni is working on a certification system to rate the energy efficiency of AI models, aiming to encourage more sustainable practices. Transparency from tech giants like Google and OpenAI is essential, as their greenhouse gas emissions have surged due to AI development.
The solution, Luccioni argues, lies in a combination of government legislation, increased transparency, and better public understanding of AI’s limitations and environmental costs. She advocates for ‘energy sobriety’ by using AI tools more judiciously and making environmentally conscious decisions.
Google has announced it will redesign its plans for a $200 million data centre in Santiago, Chile, after concerns were raised about its environmental impact. The company will start the project from scratch following a ruling by a local environmental court, which partially reversed a 2020 permit and called for a reassessment in light of climate change.
Originally approved in 2020, the project faced backlash from residents and officials due to fears over its effects on Santiago’s drought-stricken aquifer. Data centres require significant amounts of water for cooling, an issue of concern given Chile’s ongoing drought for over a decade.
Google has informed Chile‘s environmental regulator that it will not proceed with its original plans for the Cerrillos neighbourhood. Instead, the tech giant plans to introduce a new proposal that incorporates air-cooling technology to mitigate environmental concerns.
The company is expected to submit a fresh application, addressing local concerns and aiming to reduce the project’s environmental footprint, as it continues to work on its data centre plans in Santiago.
Google is planning to roll out new features that will enable the identification of images that have been generated or edited using AI in search results. This update will highlight such photos in the ‘About this image’ section across Google Search, Google Lens, and the Circle to Search feature on Android. In the future, this disclosure feature may also be extended to other Google platforms like YouTube.
To achieve this, Google will utilise C2PA metadata developed by the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity. This metadata tracks an image’s history, including its creation and editing process. However, the adoption of C2PA standards is limited, and metadata can be altered or removed, which may impact the reliability of this identification method.
Despite the challenges, Google’s action addresses the increasing concerns about deepfakes and AI-generated content. There have been reports of a significant rise in scams involving such content, and losses related to deepfakes are expected to increase dramatically in the coming years. As public concern about deepfakes and AI-driven misinformation grows, Google’s initiative aims to provide more transparency in digital media.
Google’s advertising business has faced renewed scrutiny in the EU, with a recent proposal to sell its advertising marketplace, AdX, being rejected by European publishers. The tech giant offered the sale to resolve an antitrust investigation by the EU, which accuses Google of favouring its services. The investigation followed complaints from the European Publishers Council, and the European Commission has since charged Google with anti-competitive practices.
Publishers dismissed Google’s offer as insufficient, arguing that the sale of AdX alone would not address the broader conflicts of interest due to Google’s dominance across the entire adtech supply chain. These industry insiders suggest that more drastic measures may be needed to curb Google’s influence, but the EU has not yet demanded such extensive divestments.
Google, meanwhile, maintains that the Commission’s claims are based on a misinterpretation of the competitive nature of the advertising sector. Despite facing similar antitrust trials in the US over its advertising technology, the company continues to defend its business practices, where authorities have called for selling its Ad Manager product.
AdX, which allows publishers to auction unsold ad space to advertisers in real time, has become a key component in the ongoing investigation. The EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager previously suggested Google divest additional tools to resolve the issue. However, experts believe the Commission may first issue a simpler ruling to halt Google’s current practices before escalating to demands for asset sales.
With advertising contributing to 77% of Google’s $237.85 billion revenue in 2023, the company’s dominant position in digital advertising remains a central point of contention in the EU and globally.
