Google’s AI Plan: Enhancing Apps and Advancing AI Agents
With the release of Gemini 2.0, Google has set a clear vision for AI, focusing on enhancing its apps and services with generative AI features powered by the Gemini models. From Search to Gmail and Maps, various Google apps are already being upgraded with these AI-powered tools. This marks the first phase of Google’s AI initiative.
Project Mariner: The Future of AI Agents
The second phase of Google’s AI vision, which revolves around AI agents, is still in development. One early demonstration of this is Project Mariner, a Google Chrome extension featuring an AI chatbot. So, this assistant can process complex tasks, break them into smaller steps, and complete them by taking control of the user’s browser. Although Project Mariner is still in the hands of trusted testers, its potential is clear, with glowing blue edges on the screen indicating when the AI is in control, similar to Apple’s Siri interface.
Project Astra: The Universal AI Assistant
Another key development is Project Astra, which was first revealed at Google I/O 2024. Designed as a universal assistant, it can integrate various information sources—such as photos, videos, audio, and geolocation—to provide instant and accurate responses. Now powered by Gemini 2.0, Project Astra can handle multilingual conversations, recall previous interactions, and even access Google’s apps like Maps and Lens. Although a release date is yet to be announced, Google is expanding its tester program, including a small group who will soon test Project Astra on prototype glasses. 
