Techcrunch blog!: Google’s Gemini makes an appearance

Wednesday, December 06, 2023

Google unveiled some new offerings today, including a closer look at its next-generation AI model, Gemini. In our top story for today, Kyle details what Gemini is and how it works in this lengthy chronicle. Meanwhile, Sarah explores how Gemini improvements will look on the AI chatbot Bard and Pixel 8 Pro. But, wait, there's more. Kyle also looks at the programming tool AlphaCode 2, while Frederic discusses Google's AI accelerator, Cloud TPU v5p.

In other news, Ivan reports that iMessage may be immune from a European Union interoperability regulation. Score one for Apple.

And Lorenzo writes about the cyber attack on a U.S. government agency's “end of life" software. Read more.

Image Credits: Alex Tai/SOPA Images/LightRocket / Getty Images

More top reads

Not your OpenAI's kind of AI: Liquid AI, a new MIT spinoff, wants to build an entirely new type of AI. See how it will do that.

Squash that bug: Millions of patient scans and health records are spilling online thanks to a decades-old protocol bug. Time to scream and jump on a chair.

All about that Meta: Meta didn't want to let Google have all the limelight today, so it made some news of its own. That included launching a stand-alone AI-powered image generator. Meanwhile, its AI unit added the ability to create new AI images when prompted and support for Reels. And remember all those celebrities lending their likeness to a set of Meta AI characters? That's now live across U.S. apps, among other things.

When Q4 means more layoffs: Haje discusses why layoffs happen in December, and how to handle them compassionately. Read more. (TC+)

Exposed!: A U.S. senator warns governments are spying on Apple and Google users via push notifications. Get the scoop. And your mobile password manager could be exposing your credentials.

Art made easy: Sydney-based generative AI art platform Leonardo.Ai raises $31 million. Here's how it works.

Sing a song: Sona launches its music streaming platform and marketplace to reward fans for buying "digital twins" of songs. Listen up.

Nothing but blue skies from now on: Social media platform Bluesky says it will allow users to opt out of the public web interface after backlash. Nothing's private anymore, amirite?

Credit card gibberish managed: Spade, a startup that turns the really long string of letters and numbers you see on your credit card statement into a merchant identity, raises new capital amid a shift in strategy to detect fraud. Read more.

One long thread: X, the entity formerly known as Twitter, now lets users broadcast community posts to all followers. See how it works.

Out of this world: OurSky, now flush with $9.5 million in seed funding, plans to build out a developer platform for space data. Here's how.

Game on: Titan AI grabs some pre-seed funding as it leverages generative AI to streamline mobile game development. Learn more.

Vast cash for Vast Data: Vast Data, a startup that provides data storage for AI workloads, lands $118 million. Read more.

Even more for your Wednesday:

Is business software too cheap? (TC+)

Poppy says 'I do' to new capital for digital booking, fulfillment of wedding flowers

Summer's secondary surge didn't last, but 2024 should be strong (TC+)

Regulatory approval for this subscription solar UK startup could mean more are to come

Respeecher's ethics-first approach to AI voice cloning locks in new funding

Image Credits: dem10 / Getty Images

Venture Debt Remains Strong Amidst Slowdown in VC Investment

On the pods

Today on Equity, we're bringing you back to TechCrunch Disrupt 2023, when Alex sat down with Serhii Bohoslovskyi, the founder of no-code app builder Trible.

Trible is a no-code software product that helps folks construct online courses. The pair are catching up on the state of the creator economy, the use of no-code tooling today and how it is received by non-technical creators, and the state of startups that have roots in Ukraine. Listen here.