At a splashy media event this week at its headquarters in Mountain View, California, Google announced four new Pixel phones. But the most important stuff unveiled at the Made By Google event wasnât the hardware itself, but rather all of the generative AI tools packed into the devices.
Most notable are some AI-powered camera features that allow Pixel owners to easily add their own image to a group shot after theyâve taken the photo, or to alter a photo entirely by changing night to day and adding objects that were never really there. Itâs an exploration of our limitsâhow convincingly technology can bring alternate realities to life, and how much of the computer-generated scenery we can tolerate.
This week on Gadget Lab, WIRED senior reviews editor Julian Chokkattu joins the show to talk about Googleâs fancy new photo tricks. We also talk about Gemini Live, the latest iteration of the companyâs AI-powered voice chatbot. Finally, we ask the un-askable: Is Google Assistant finally dead, or just banished to Googleâs attic?
Show Notes
Read more about all the new updates from the Made By Google event, including Googleâs Pixel camera updates. Learn how the company is using AI to reshape reality. There are some potentially life-saving new features on the Pixel Watch 3. Also read Reece Rogersâ WIRED story about ChatGPTâs advanced voice mode and Jia Tolentinoâs New Yorker story about tweens and Sephora.
Recommendations
Julian recommends folding flip phones. Lauren recommends Colorscience Sunforgettable Total Protection Face Shield Flex SPF 50 sunscreen lotion. Mike recommends the audiobook version of All Fours by Miranda July. (You can listen to it in Spotify Premium.)
Julian Chokkattu can be found on social media @JulianChokkattu. Lauren Goode is @LaurenGoode. Michael Calore is @snackfight. Bling the main hotline at @GadgetLab. The show is produced by Boone Ashworth (@booneashworth). Our theme music is by Solar Keys.
How to Listen
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