Friday news roundup – what you might have missed

Openai's future models will be deemed "high risk" for biology content.
OpenAI is putting additional guardrails on future models — as they are too good at biology. (Picture: OpenAI)
Google training AI on Youtube videos?
YouTube’s owner sits on an archive of over 20 billion videos, now being tapped to train its Veo 3 video model. But creators are alarmed about their content appearing in AI-generated outputs, raising red flags over copyright and IP rights. Google says it only uses a small subset of the repository and has «guardrails» in place:
«we’ve invested in robust protections that allow creators to protect their image and likeness in the AI era,» they say to CNBC.

Midjourney’s new Video model is only $10/month
While other video generation tools come with premium price tags, Midjourney’s new model is pitched as the first truly accessible option: «The first video model for everyone.» It animates either uploaded photos or AI-generated art, comes with a prompt field for control, and outputs 5-second clips. Early reactions: it excels at cartoons and stylized animation.
Read more at The Verge, their launch post on X, blog post, and check out the gallery here.

Biology in future OpenAI models getting so good, they pose a «high risk»
OpenAI warns that some successors to its current o3 models will cross thresholds in biological reasoning that trigger a «high risk» classification—raising concerns about misuse in synthesizing harmful materials. «They won’t be able to create bioweapons per se,» said safety lead Johannes Heidecke, «but extra safeguards will be deployed.»
Read more: A report on Axios and the blog post from OpenAI discussing the issue.

Eutelsat is creating a Starlink competitor
Europe is making a bold move to counter SpaceX dominance. Struggling satellite firm Eutelsat has secured $1.55 billion to expand its OneWeb network –€717M of that from the French state, which now holds a ~30% stake. «We must invest now,» Macron’s office said, «or risk dependence on foreign powers.»
Read more: France24 digs deep, Bloomberg is paywalled.

YouTube Shorts to get Veo3 integration «later this summer»

Veo3 is coming Youtube Shorts.
Google is massively expanding access to its Veo3 model.
At the Cannes Lions 2025 festival, YouTube CEO Neal Mohan announced big updates to the short-form video platform, which is now the largest in the world with some 200 billion daily views.

Mohan said the Veo3 integration «will open new creative lanes for everyone to explore,» hailing the other AI functions on the platform.

Users can already use AI to translate across 9 different languages, expanding with 11 more «soon.»

Continue reading “YouTube Shorts to get Veo3 integration «later this summer»”

Yes, there’s an AI ad out there — but the tech can do so much more

Google's Veo3 is used for a lot of "AI slop," but look carefully and you can find some real gems
A still from a Veo 3 video shared on r/VEO3. Yes, it’s supposed to look like that.
While big brands cautiously test the waters on national TV, Reddit’s r/VEO3 and X’s #Veo3 shows us what AI video is really capable of — and it’s not just ‘slop.’

It’s the weekend film festival you didn’t know you needed, running 24/7 in your browser.

Internet awash in short AI videos
Ever since Google launched Veo3 at I/O 2025, the internet has been awash in hundreds of thousands — maybe even millions — of photorealistic video clips made with the tool, of varying quality.

Continue reading “Yes, there’s an AI ad out there — but the tech can do so much more”

Google Workspace now auto-summarizes PDFs for you

Starting June 12th, Google’s Workspace customers will get summaries in the sidebar every time they open a PDF from Drive, according to Google’s blog.

The idea is that you won’t have read the whole thing, of course, but the feature also adds a couple of handy commands in the sidebar.

Performs actions
You can then perform actions, like «Draft a sample proposal,» or «List interview questions based on this resume.»

The PDF summary will open automatically, and there is a way to opt out in the Drive settings, if you think AI is getting a bit too intrusive in your life.

The feature is available in 20 languages, and should be available for many already — but Google says it might take as many as 15 days to fully roll out.

Read more: Google’s launch blog, and a writeup on The Verge

Google experiments with audio overviews in Search results

The feature, only available for Labs users in the US in English, lets you generate «quick, conversational audio overviews» for «certain» search queries.

That should let the audio play for you while you are multitasking or turning attention elsewhere.

«It gives a lay of the land», Google says, and The Verge notes it can also be set to a feature known to many NotebookLM users — with two simulated «podcast hosts» enthusiastically debating the results for you.

You can opt into the feature on Google Labs, and the feature will then pop up as an alternative under Google’s AI overviews on the results page.

Read more: Google’s blog announcement, and a summary at The Verge

Google rolls out scheduled tasks for Gemini subscribers

Scheduling with access to your mail and calendar can start your day.
You can schedule your prompts and get mail and calendar overviews to start your day with Gemini. (Picture: Google)
Pro and Ultra subscribers in the Gemini app can now preset prompts or tasks at any given time, a feature that may be quite helpful for some.

They say this can be useful for frequently occurring tasks, like getting a morning news summary or providing ideas «for your blog.»

Works with Google apps
Gemini does of course also work with your Google Calendar and Gmail, and can provide you with a list of unread emails and your daily schedule.

Continue reading “Google rolls out scheduled tasks for Gemini subscribers”

A short news roundup for Friday

Google launches nother gemini preview, marginally better than the last one.
(Picture: Google)
Google has launched a slightly improved Gemini 2.5 Pro model, the 06-05, scoring moderately better on some benchmarks, and answering Ars Technica’s question on the color Magenta.

It should be available in the Gemini app, and also for free users, who get between three to ten questions per session. This is the model Google plans to take out of Preview as a stable, full model at a later time.

Google has started testing «talk to search» on Android and iOS. The feature lets you discuss and refine search results by clicking under the search bar in the Google app, by text or voice — and you can keep talking after leaving the app.

Anthropic blocks Windsurf access to Claude. Windsurf is an AI coding application that lets you choose which models to use, and the block comes «just weeks after Bloomberg reported that OpenAI was acquiring Windsurf.» «It would be odd for us to be selling Claude to OpenAI,» says Anthropic.

Anthropic opposes 10-year moratorium on state AI laws. In a New York Times op-ed, CEO Dario Amodei argues that AI is developing so fast that new laws might be needed well ahead of the ten-year mark currently being considered in the US Senate. «I believe that these systems could change the world, fundamentally, within two years; in 10 years, all bets are off,» he writes.

NotebookLM now lets you easily share projects

You can share your research with others on NotebookLM
Sharing NotebookLM links could become the next internet fad, if Google gets its way. (Picture: Google)
Google has a smash hit on its hands with the AI app, and is now expanding access to notebooks with a simple link.

The shared service lets other users interact with your stored notebooks, to ask questions and make podcasts of your research. You can restrict access to only chats, if you like.

Continue reading “NotebookLM now lets you easily share projects”

Google to leverage it’s greatest AI advantage — your data

Do you really want Google's AI to have access to your emails and personal data?
If you let it, Gemini can scan through your past emails to write a new one. (Picture: Google)
Buried inside the complex blog posts from the Google I/O keynote yesterday, lies an interesting little nugget titled «The power of personalization.»

In it, Google explains how it can make Gemini and search better by tailoring responses to the vast data Google keeps on you from prior searches, docs in Google Drive — and even your past emails in Gmail.

All of this data is under Google’s control and is infinitely searchable by an AI, which won’t have to spend much time to get to know you «better.»

Continue reading “Google to leverage it’s greatest AI advantage — your data”

Google pairs with Warby Parker for AI-enabled, smart glasses

Gemini will see and hear everything you do with these Andoird XR glasses
Google showcased the glasses on stage at Google I/O, highlighting their translation capacity. (Picture: Google)
Easy to miss the torrent of AI news at Google I/O was a demo of their upcoming AI-powered smart glasses, expected «after 2025.»

The glasses pair with Gemini on your phone, has an in-lens display, camera, ear buds and microphones and can show you your Android apps.

More importantly, though, is the integration with the AI. The glasses become Gemini’s eyes and ears and will see all you see and listen to conversations around you.

Continue reading “Google pairs with Warby Parker for AI-enabled, smart glasses”

Google rolls out AI Mode in US, during AI feast at Google I/O

Google debuts AI Mode, Gemini for Chrome and lots more at I/O this year
So much news. Google brings a firehose of new AI features to Google I/O. (Picture: Google Imagen 4)
Google’s I/O conference kicked off with a tsunami of AI news last night. Clearly, the company is going all-in on artificial intelligence, and is using all the levers in its power to promote it — even in Chrome.

The most important news they presented is AI Mode going live in the USA, using what is likely the most valuable screen real estate on the planet — Google’s front page — to leverage the new AI search feature. It’s been in testing for about a week.

Continue reading “Google rolls out AI Mode in US, during AI feast at Google I/O”

Google unveils AlphaEvolve, an AI model for algorithm discovery

Google DeepMind’s AlphaEvolve can even improve on its own hardware.
Google DeepMind’s AlphaEvolve can even improve on itself. (Picture: Google)
The model is already at work and producing savings internally at Google, having discovered more efficient algorithms and better hardware solutions.

— AlphaEvolve is a Gemini-powered AI coding agent that is able to make new discoveries in computing and mathematics, says Matej Balog, a researcher at Google DeepMind, to VentureBeat.

Google doesn’t say when the model will be available to the general public, but is planning on working with certain scientists and is «exploring» a broader release.

Continue reading “Google unveils AlphaEvolve, an AI model for algorithm discovery”

Google is testing «AI Mode» directly on the front page

Google is experimenting with replacing the "I'm Feeling Lucky"-button with "AI Mode."
Can you spot the difference? Google is experimenting with a change on the front page. (Picture: screenshot)
Replacing the time honored «I’m Feeling lucky,» select users now see «AI Mode» instead.

By doing this, albeit in their Labs section, Google shows they are considering using some of the most valuable screen real estate on the planet to further promote its Gemini AI models.

Continue reading “Google is testing «AI Mode» directly on the front page”

Google drops new Gemini 2.5 Pro Preview, says it excels at coding

Google wants their new Gemini model to be the «go-to model» for devs.
Google wants their new Gemini model to be the «go-to model» for devs. (Picture: Google)
The Lmarena leaderboard has a new top contender, after Google launched its new, most advanced reasoning model last night.

Google touts it as especially good for developers, improving on what many felt was already the best coding model.

Continue reading “Google drops new Gemini 2.5 Pro Preview, says it excels at coding”

Google’s AdSense experimenting with AI chatbots

Google's Adsense is expanding into "converstional ai."
The era of free AI chats may be coming to an end, with google experimenting with ads. (Picture: Google)
The internet display ad behemoth is moving with the times, as the AI industry seeks to monetize. It’s likely only a question of time before we get ads in Gemini.

AdSense apparently began experimenting with ads for AI chatbots, or, as they call it «conversational AI,» in chatbots iAsk and Liner, according to Bloomberg, which is paywalled.

Just a test?
SEO roundtable quotes Bloomberg as saying that AdSense had «expanded to include conversations with chatbots operated by AI startups.»

Continue reading “Google’s AdSense experimenting with AI chatbots”