Google has announced a host of generative AI improvements coming to Google Search courtesy of its new Gemini 1.5 Pro model.
The improvements include new AI overviews, a new ‘plan ahead’ tool for things like meal planning, and the ability to show Gemini a video you’ve recorded as a shortcut to resolve an issue. The latter sounds like it could be a game changer.
Announced during the Google I/O keynote, the new generative AI capabilities come courtesy of Gemini’s new multi-step reasoning capabilities, planning and multimodality. Google will enable users to customise the results from the original yield to a simplified result or a more detailed “break it down” page.
Here’s the best new Search features the company announced today:
AI Overviews
Limited to Google Labs users until now, the impressive AI Overviews will be available to everyone in the United States from today (more counties coming soon) while the ability to answer more complex questions coming soon.
For example, with a single search, a Google user could ask a question like “find the best yoga or pilates studios in Boston and show me details on their intro offers, and walking time from Beacon Hill.”
Gemini would easily handle this complex query thanks to the multistep reasoning, enabling users to surface the studios, complete with reviews, details of the intro offer in a knowledge box, while offering a map detailing how to get there on foot.
Video troubleshooting
Google will soon enable users to show Gemini a video you’ve shot on your smartphone in order to ask a question and solve a problem, making use of that multinodal capability in Google Gemini 1.5 Pro.
So, to use Google’s example, if the tone arm on your turntable won’t stay in place, you could shoot a video, upload it to Google Lens, ask a question with your voice and receive text information with context specific to that model on how to fix it.
Instead of having to search for the manufacturer, the model, the issue, and more Google will be able to offer detailed troubleshooting steps for the issue. Google says it will “save you the time and trouble of finding the right words to describe this issue, and you’ll get an AI Overview with steps and resources to troubleshoot.”
Plan Ahead
Fancy creating a customised meal plan for the week without the hassle of researching tons of recipes? Google Gemini will have you covered and in your context. So, if you’re looking for a meal plan that saves you money, is suitable for preparing in a college dorm and is microwavable, you can surface a detailed plan in seconds.
“With planning capabilities directly in Search, you can get help creating plans for whatever you need, starting with meals and vacations,” Google says in a blog post. “Search for something like “create a 3 day meal plan for a group that’s easy to prepare,” and you’ll get a starting point with a wide range of recipes from across the web.”
If you see something you don’t like the look of, Google says users will be able to make adjustments like specifying a vegetarian dish or something healthier, in place of a cheeseburger by cliuking a “replace” button.
When finalised, the finalised meal plan can be exporting the plan to Google Docs or Gmail for shopping or sharing.
