Google's biggest event of the year, Google I/O, has come and gone. And there were a number of new features announced at the conference that you can try out right now. Here are some of the most exciting.
4. AI Search Mode
As you might expect, the event was packed with AI-focused announcements. One of them was AI Search Mode; Google has been testing the feature since earlier this year, but it's now available to all users in the US. Instead of the annoying and sometimes hilarious AI search overviews offered in regular Google Search, the new mode is all about AI.
On the main Google search page, select AI Mode in the search bar. While a regular Google search will provide links, AI Mode can be used to answer more complex questions with full answers. The results look similar to what you would see in ChatGPT Search, with multiple paragraphs of explanation and reasoning, along with sources you can also access. While there are many reasons why AI will never truly replace traditional Google search, AI-powered search results have many positives over their classic counterparts.
3. Image 4
ChatGPT's vastly improved image engine has some competition with the introduction of Imagen 4. Google says the model is now capable of delivering 2K resolution images in different aspect ratios. You can also choose from different art styles and designs.
Perhaps the biggest change in the model is that it can now actually generate text and spell it correctly. Previously, that was one of the biggest problems with AI-generated images.
Imagen 4 is available in Gemini and Whisk.
2. Google AI Ultra
If you have the cash, Google has a pricey plan—the Google AI Ultra subscription. For the low, low price of $250/month, you get access to the highest limits of any Google model, along with a whopping 30TB of cloud storage and a YouTube Premium subscription .
One of the features available only to AI Ultra subscribers is Veo 3, Google's AI video model. According to Google, the new model has better handling of real-world physics along with realistic lip-syncing capabilities like in the video above.
1. Flow
Flow is an AI-powered video editor. It can create videos using Veo 2 or Veo 3, then stitch the clips together on a timeline and control camera movement while displaying the results. You can also create still images using Imagen, then create clips from those images. Google AI Ultra subscribers can use any video creation model, while anyone paying for the more affordable AI Pro subscription can only use Veo 2.