12 Google AI Tools You Need to Know Now!

Summary

In this video, Craig Hwitt explores 12 powerful AI tools from Google that are transforming productivity, creativity, and app development. From Google AI Studio and Gemini for chat and coding, to V3 and Imagen for generative video and images, these tools integrate seamlessly with Google Workspace. He highlights Firebase and Genkit for developers, Opal for no-code app building, and Notebook LM for managing large datasets. Forward-looking projects like Astra and Mariner showcase Google's vision for AI agents. With practical tips and insights, Craig demonstrates how these tools can make users more efficient, creative, and future-ready in the rapidly evolving AI landscape.

Takeaways

• 🤖 Google offers a wide range of AI tools beyond ChatGPT, integrated across productivity, media, and development platforms.
• 💻 Google AI Studio provides chat with Gemini, live streaming AI interactions, media generation, app building, and document integration—all without coding.
• 📱 Firebase is a mobile and app development platform with AI enhancements, enabling rapid prototyping and deployment of AI-powered applications.
• 🛠️ Genkit is an open-source AI framework for Node.js, Go, and Python that simplifies full-stack AI integration in custom software.
• 🎬 V3 and Flow allow generative video creation from text, competing with other generative video tools like Sora from OpenAI.
• 💎 Gemini LLM and Gems let users create predefined AI workflows, integrate with Google Docs and Sheets, and access free or paid AI models.
• 🖼️ Imagen and Whisk provide generative image capabilities, often integrated into Gemini or accessible through standalone platforms.
• 🔬 Project Astra and Project Mariner are experimental Google research initiatives exploring universal AI assistants and AI-human agent interactions.
• 📺 YouTube AI Q&A lets users ask questions about educational videos, enhancing learning and engagement.
• 🔍 AI Mode in Google Search delivers AI-generated summaries at the top of search results, potentially transforming the traditional ad-based search model.
• 📓 Notebook LM consolidates large amounts of information, ensures source accuracy, and can generate reports, mind maps, podcasts, and video overviews.
• 🖥️ Opal is a no-code AI app builder that integrates with Google Workspace or Gmail, enabling quick creation of internal apps and productivity tools.

Q & A

What is Google AI Studio and what are its key features?

Google AI Studio is a central hub for Google’s AI tools. It features chat powered by Gemini LLM, streaming for real-time interaction, media generation for images and videos, app building without coding, and seamless integration with Google Docs and Sheets.

How does Firebase integrate AI into app development?

Firebase is Google’s mobile app and app development platform. It integrates AI to help developers prototype, build, and run AI-powered applications efficiently, providing infrastructure and support for faster deployment.

What is Genkit and how is it used?

Genkit is an open-source AI framework that supports Node.js, Go, and Python. It provides full-stack AI components that developers can import into applications to simplify building AI-powered software.

What capabilities does V3 offer?

V3 is Google’s generative video model that allows users to create videos from text prompts. It can be accessed via Gemini or the Flow platform and competes with tools like OpenAI’s Sora.

What are Gemini and Gems, and how do they function?

Gemini is Google’s large language model and chatbot. Gems are customizable modules within Gemini, similar to ChatGPT’s custom GPTs. They can integrate with Google Workspace apps, have special knowledge, and be pre-made or custom-created.

How does Google enable AI-based generative images?

Google provides tools like Imagen and Whisk for AI-generated images. Imagen works through Gemini or platforms like Flow, while Whisk is a custom solution integrated into Google Workspace plans.

What are Project Astra and Project Mariner?

These are experimental AI research prototypes from Google DeepMind. Project Astra explores universal AI assistant capabilities, while Project Mariner focuses on the future of human-agent interaction, starting with browsers.

How can AI be used to interact with YouTube videos?

Certain educational YouTube videos allow users to ask AI questions directly about their content via an 'ask' button, enabling interactive learning and comprehension.

What is AI Mode in Google Search and why is it significant?

AI Mode in Google Search provides AI-generated summaries at the top of search results. It transforms how users access information and may impact Google’s traditional ad-based business model by reducing reliance on links and ads.

What is Notebook LM and how is it different from typical chat models?

Notebook LM allows users to consolidate and interact with large amounts of information while using only provided sources. This reduces hallucinations and ensures accuracy, unlike typical LLMs that may rely on external data.

What is Opal and how does it help users build apps?

Opal is a no-code AI app builder integrated into Google Workspace or Gmail. It allows users to quickly build simple web apps using AI, fusing AI functionality into tools users already use.

Why does the presenter suggest Google could win the AI race?

The presenter suggests Google could win the AI race because of its deep integration of AI into widely used products, experimental agent-focused projects, and a large suite of free AI tools, giving it an advantage over competitors like OpenAI and Anthropic.