Google has introduced a new feature in Gmail, powered by its Gemini AI, allowing users to seamlessly add events to their Google Calendar.
Starting this week, Gmail users can click an ‘Add to calendar’ button when Gemini detects calendar-related content in an email, simplifying the process of scheduling events directly from emails.
Currently available in English and only for web users, the feature is part of Google Workspace’s offerings, targeting Business and Enterprise tier users, along with customers subscribed to premium Gemini plans.
Notably, it does not include the addition of other guests to the event or apply to certain pre-extracted events like restaurant or flight reservations.
This addition follows other Gemini-powered updates, such as features for email summarization and enhanced search capabilities, and aims to streamline workflow for users.
As Google continues expanding AI-powered tools within Gmail, this new feature further demonstrates the integration of advanced AI into productivity apps.
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Google has quietly updated the webpage for its Responsible AI and Human-Centred Technology team, removing references to diversity and equity
Terms such as ‘marginalised communities’ and ‘underrepresented groups’ have been replaced with more neutral language. The changes were first spotted by watchdog group The Midas Project, which previously reported similar edits to Google’s Startups Founders Fund page.
The company’s move comes amid a broader rollback of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives across the tech industry. Google announced in February that it would end its diversity hiring targets and reassess its DEI programmes.
Other companies, including Amazon and Meta, have also scaled back diversity policies in response to legal and political pressures from the Trump administration, which has criticised such initiatives.
Federal contracts could be influencing these decisions, as many of the affected companies, including Google, work closely with United States agencies.
While some firms, such as OpenAI, have removed diversity language from hiring pages, Apple recently rejected a shareholder proposal to eliminate its DEI programmes. The changes suggest a shifting landscape for corporate diversity efforts in the US tech sector.
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The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has decided to drop its earlier proposal to force Alphabet, Google’s parent company, to sell its investments in AI companies, including its stake in Anthropic, a rival to OpenAI.
The proposal was originally included in a wider initiative to boost competition in the online search market. The DOJ now argues that restricting Google’s AI investments might lead to unintended consequences in the rapidly changing AI sector.
While this move represents a shift in the government’s approach, the DOJ and 38 state attorneys general are continuing their antitrust case against Google. They argue that Google holds an illegal monopoly in the search market and is distorting competition.
The government’s case includes demands for Google to divest its Chrome browser and implement other measures to foster competition.
Google has strongly opposed these efforts, stating that they would harm consumers, the economy, and national security. The company is also planning to appeal the proposals.
As part of the ongoing scrutiny, the DOJ’s latest proposal mandates that Google notify the government of any future investments in generative AI, a move intended to curb further concentration of power in the sector.
This case is part of a broader wave of antitrust scrutiny facing major tech companies like Google, Apple, and Meta, as US regulators seek to rein in the market dominance of Big Tech.
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Rep. Jim Jordan, Chairman of the US House Judiciary Committee, has subpoenaed Alphabet, the parent company of Google, demanding documents that show whether YouTube removed content due to requests from the Biden administration.
Jordan has long argued that Big Tech companies, including Google, have collaborated with the US government to suppress conservative speech. He believes that these actions constitute unlawful censorship, with YouTube allegedly playing a role.
This subpoena comes after the Committee’s successful investigation into Meta, which led the company to admit that it had bowed to pressure from the Biden administration, adjusting its content moderation policies and promising to restore free speech on its platforms.
Jordan is now pushing Alphabet to follow Meta’s lead and provide transparency on its own content moderation practices.
Google has responded by stating that its content policies are enforced independently, asserting its commitment to free expression.
However, the company has yet to provide a detailed response to Jordan’s subpoena or the claims of governmental influence. Also, this ongoing investigation signals that the scrutiny of Big Tech’s role in content moderation is far from over.
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The US Department of Justice is maintaining its push for Google to sell its Chrome web browser as part of an ongoing antitrust case.
A recent court filing reaffirmed the department’s stance, arguing that Google’s dominance in online search has created an unfair advantage.
While earlier proposals called for divesting all AI investments, the DOJ is now only requiring prior notification of future deals.
Legal action follows a ruling by Judge Amit P. Mehta, who found that Google illegally maintained its search monopoly. The United States DOJ also seeks to prohibit payments to distribution partners, a key practice that has helped Google secure its search dominance.
Arguments from both sides will be heard in court this April. The case is expected to have far-reaching implications for competition in the tech industry, with potential changes to how Google operates its search and browser business.
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The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) in New York City has partnered with Google Public Sector on a pilot program designed to detect track defects before they cause significant disruptions. Using Google Pixel smartphones retrofitted onto subway cars, the system captured millions of sensor readings, GPS locations, and hours of audio to identify potential problems. The project aimed to improve the efficiency of the MTA’s response to track issues, potentially saving time and money while reducing delays for passengers.
The AI-powered program, called TrackInspect, analyses the sounds and vibrations from the subway to pinpoint areas that could signal defects, such as loose rails or worn joints. Data collected during the pilot, which ran from September 2024 to January 2025, showed that the AI system successfully identified 92% of defect locations found by human inspectors. The system was trained using feedback from MTA inspectors, helping refine its ability to predict track issues.
While the pilot was considered a success, the future of the program remains uncertain due to financial concerns at the MTA. Despite this, the success of the project has sparked interest from other transit systems looking to adopt similar AI-driven technologies to improve infrastructure maintenance and reduce delays. The MTA is now exploring other technological partnerships to enhance its track monitoring and maintenance efforts.
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The US House Judiciary Committee subpoenaed Alphabet on Thursday, demanding information on its communications with the Biden administration regarding content moderation policies. The committee, led by Republican Jim Jordan, also requested similar communications with external companies and groups.
The subpoena specifically seeks details on discussions about restricting or banning content related to US President Donald Trump, Elon Musk, COVID-19, and other conservative topics. Republicans have accused Big Tech companies of suppressing conservative viewpoints, with the Federal Trade Commission warning that coordinating policies or misleading users could breach the law.
Last year, Meta Platforms acknowledged pressure from the Biden administration to censor content, but Alphabet has not publicly distanced itself from similar claims. A Google spokesperson stated the company will demonstrate its independent approach to policy enforcement.
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YouTube has launched a new $7.99 monthly subscription plan called ‘Premium Lite,’ offering an ad-free experience for most videos, excluding music.
The service is aimed at viewers who rarely watch music content and prefer an alternative to YouTube’s $13.99 Premium plan. By introducing this lower-cost option, YouTube hopes to attract users who already pay for other music streaming services.
The company previously tested Premium Lite in several countries, including Australia and Germany, with early results showing strong demand. Many first-time subscribers opted for the new plan, with some later upgrading to the full Premium service.
YouTube now has over 125 million paying subscribers, up from 100 million at the start of 2024, though this includes free trial users.
Advertising remains YouTube’s primary revenue source, generating $36 billion in 2024, but subscriptions are becoming increasingly important.
Alphabet has not disclosed exact figures for YouTube’s subscription revenue, but company executives have confirmed that paid memberships are contributing significantly to overall earnings.
The new plan is part of YouTube’s broader strategy to expand its subscription base while maintaining strong advertising revenue.
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Google has reported receiving over 250 complaints globally about its AI software being used to create deepfake terrorist content, according to Australia’s eSafety Commission.
The tech giant also acknowledged dozens of user reports alleging that its AI program, Gemini, was being exploited to generate child abuse material. Under Australian law, companies must provide regular updates on their efforts to minimise harm or risk hefty fines.
The eSafety Commission described Google’s disclosure as a ‘world-first insight’ into how AI tools may be misused to produce harmful and illegal content.
Between April 2023 and February 2024, Google received 258 reports of suspected AI-generated extremist material and 86 related to child exploitation. However, the company did not specify how many of these reports were verified.
A Google spokesperson stated that the company strictly prohibits AI-generated content related to terrorism, child abuse, and other illegal activities.
While it uses automated detection to remove AI-generated child exploitation material, the same system is not applied to extremist content.
Meanwhile, the regulator has previously fined platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Telegram for failing to meet reporting requirements, with both companies planning to appeal.
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Google has introduced an experimental version of its search engine that removes the traditional 10 blue links in favour of AI-generated summaries.
The new ‘AI Mode’ is available to subscribers of Google One AI Premium, a $19.99 per month plan, and can be accessed through a tab alongside existing options like Images and Maps.
Users will see a detailed AI summary with hyperlinks to cited sources, replacing standard search results with a search bar for follow-up questions.
AI Overviews, which provide summaries atop search results, are already available in over 100 countries, with advertisements integrated into them since last May. Google says the new AI-driven approach responds to demand from “power users” seeking more AI-generated responses.
As Google pushes deeper into AI-powered search, it faces competition from Microsoft-backed OpenAI, which introduced search capabilities to ChatGPT last October.
The shift has raised concerns among content creators, with edtech company Chegg suing Google in February, alleging that AI previews are reducing demand for original content and hurting publishers’ ability to compete.
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