Google AI

Google AI, formerly known as Google Research, is Google’s artificial intelligence (AI) research and development branch for its AI applications. Google unveiled its rebrand of Google AI at Google I/O 2018.

Google AI continues the development of AI in all its related products, including:

• Google Auto ML vision -  a machine learning model builder for image recognition,
• Google Assistant - a voice assistant AI for Android devices,
• TensorFlow - an open source framework used to run machine learning and deep learning, including AI accelerators,
• DeepMind – a division responsible for developing deep learning and artificial general intelligence (AGI) technology

One of the numerous offshoots from Google AI is its improved Google Assistant. With Assistant, Google AI can process commands from a user, make phone calls silently in the background and handle natural conversation to request information or book appointments.

Some critics are reserved or opposed to the directions Google is taking with AI. Because the Assistant software does not declare itself as a digital assistant, critics say it deceives answering parties who may not wish to speak to an AI. Privacy is also a concern with Google’s AI updates. For example, because Assistant no longer requires users to say “OK, Google” to alert the Assistant before issuing commands, critics argue that this change could enable constant data mining.