How to Get Access to Google’s New AI Tools
Yesterday, we reported on Google’s announcement touting AI integrations across its portfolio. The new Pathways Language Model 2 or PaLM 2 Large Language Model (LLM) is already powering 25 Google services as the search giant scrambles to close the AI gap with competitors like Microsoft.
That’s why we’re seeing more and more AI smarts powering the Google services many of us use every day, such as Gmail, Google Docs, Google Sheets, YouTube, and the emerging Google Bard chatbot. However, AI has some interesting “early experiments” that Google wants you to try, such as AI-enhanced search, workspaces, note-taking, and music-making. Let’s take a closer look.
To test the new AI-enhanced “Google Labs” service, you’ll first need to sign up to get access, and possibly be put on a waiting list. You must use a Chrome browser to sign up. I figured this out after launching the link in firefox… This Google Labs page Using the Chrome browser, you’ll find detailed information, sign-up opportunities, and waitlists to access new AI-enhanced services such as Search Labs, Google Workspace powered by Duet AI, Project Tailwind, and MusicLM.
If you want access to all four services, you will need to sign up for all four waitlists and may have access at different times. For each, you will also be asked where you are located, what you do, and why you would like to use it. Here are all the links: labs.withgoogle.com (opens in new tab)However, there is a direct signup link here.
Search Labs
With web search at its core in history, it’s no surprise that Google wants users to dabble in new, enhanced AI. Search Labs plan. This experiment (initially in English, US only) exposes users to three of his useful features: Search Generative Experience (SGE), Code Hints, and Add to Sheets.
SGE is the most interesting new feature of the Search Labs project for general users. According to Google, the experiment will take user search terms and apply AI to understand the information generated by the search. For example, AI-powered information summaries are generated, highlighting tips for further investigation and follow-up.
workspace lab
Google’s workspace lab This project is designed to appeal to users who regularly use office productivity tools. The job of “Duet AI” here is both to create (Generative AI) and to act as a spare hand for many mundane office tasks (Assistive AI).
Google claims that Workspace powered by Duet AI can help create suggestions (Documents, Gmail), optimize calendars, create images from verbal descriptions, and generate background images in Meet. I’m here. One way it works with users is via a side panel that Google calls the “sidekick” companion.
Yesterday we mentioned that the “Help me write” tool is already publicly available, but you still need to sign up for the additional AI tools mentioned above. Again, this experiment is region-specific, but if you’re interested, click the link to see if you can join the waitlist.
Project Tailwind
It might fit nicely within the workspace concept, but for some reason Google has decoupled this AI-first notebook experiment. Project Tailwind Trained using personal documents in Google Drive. So this is effectively a private AI model customized with the information you choose to provide.
Google introduced this as a great note-taking tool for students, but it can also find fans among those who draw on information from various sources to create new work. Project Tailwind is available in the US only at the time of this writing.
Music LM
Music LM is a generative AI tool designed to convert text descriptions into music. As an adaptive language model (LM), it can transform input into complex melodies.
Google suggests you step into the tool’s test by entering a prompt like “soulful jazz at a dinner party”. Whatever you enter, MusicLM will offer you two voice alternatives for her and ask you to click a trophy next to your preferred result to improve the AI model.
MusicLM appears to rank among the most impressive AI applications for writing and rendering images based on small human prompts. Again, applications are geo-restricted and may be placed on a waiting list even if they are accepted as service tester candidates.
PaLM API
If you’re a developer and want to build your own AI tools using Google’s PaLM API, waiting list (opens in new tab) for that.