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- Google Gemini lied to us...
Welcome, AI enthusiasts.
Google’s viral Gemini demo is under fire this week — with the revelation that the video relied on heavy editing to overstate the model’s capabilities.
Is the hyped model farther behind ChatGPT than initially thought, or is this just a simple PR miscommunication? Let’s investigate…
In today’s AI rundown:
Google under fire after misleading Gemini demo
Europe breaks new ground with landmark AI rules
9 new AI tools to try
How to bring emojis to life with AI
Seattle backs revolutionary DNA tech with $75M
Google NotebookLM rolls out to all U.S. users
Read time: 3 minutes
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
Image source: Google
The Rundown: Google is facing backlash after admitting its flashy Gemini demo video utilized heavy editing and prompts to make the model seem more impressive — misleading consumers with the viral video. What the quack!?
The details:
The slick demo wowed viewers with Gemini's capability in tasks like recognizing drawings — with Google now revealing it wasn't live.
In reality, frames were extracted from footage, and then researchers entered written prompts for Gemini off-camera, massaging the interactions.
Some defend brief demo embellishment as common practice — but critics argue it misrepresents capabilities.
Why it matters: It’s been a rollercoaster for Google/Gemini over the past week — with the demo quickly going from an incredible achievement to what now feels a bit like smoke and mirrors. If the model is as capable as Google claims, it would’ve been best to demo it transparently and let Gemini speak for itself.
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AI REGULATION
Image source: Commissioner Thierry Breton on X
The Rundown: After a marathon of talks, EU officials finally clinched a tentative deal establishing the world's first comprehensive legal framework governing AI systems — though some critics argue it doesn't go far enough.
The details:
The Artificial Intelligence Act aims to ensure oversight of high-risk AI through transparency, risk management, and human review.
It covers controversial areas like the use of facial recognition, with compromises allowing law enforcement applications.
The act will be officially voted on early next year and won’t take effect until at least 2025.
Our thoughts: AI regulation is a polarizing issue — with many feeling the act doesn’t go far enough and others saying its overreach destroys European AI advancement potential. Regardless of where it truly lands, Europe makes the first major move — establishing itself as a potential leader on the AI legal front.
QUESTION OF THE DAY
What are your thoughts on the controversial Gemini demo?Vote below (click for live results) |
TRENDING TOOLS
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Browse the most popular tools ever featured with our tool database.
* = This is sponsored content (delete if no tool sponsors)
AI TRAINING
The viral trend of the week? Bringing emojis to life with AI image upscaling.
Follow the steps below by Dogan Ural to bring your favorite emoji to life
Step 1: Select a Detailed Emoji. Pick an emoji with clear visual elements like facial features, hair, accessories, etc. The more nuanced details, the better the AI can render it. For the example below, we used the cat emoji.
Step 2: Upload to an Upscaler. Download your chosen emoji and upload it to an AI image upscaler (Magnific or Krea work best).
Step 3: Craft Your Prompt. Write a text prompt describing the emoji plus any animation notes, ex: “Joy emoji with sparkling eyes, slowly spinning and laughing.”
Step 4: Generate Your Emoji. Hit enter and slide the upscaler to watch your new detailed emoji render. Tweak prompts and weights, re-generating until it’s just right!
QUICK HITS
What's your take? Take part in the Developer Nation Survey and influence the future of the developer ecosystem. Every respondent will get a virtual goodie bag packed with FREE resources and the chance to win amazing prizes!
UW Medicine and partners just secured $75M to advance "DNA typewriters" — cells that self-record biological data over time. Envisioned as smartwatches for cells, the tech blends AI and biotech to leverage DNA's digital properties as a storage mechanism.
Google just opened its experimental AI note-taking app NotebookLM to everyone in the U.S., alongside new features and upgrades. Now armed with document transformation and Gemini integration, NotebookLM can summarize notes, answer questions, and even turn them into outlines or scripts.
Browse all available AI job positions with our job board.
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THAT’S A WRAP
That’s it for today’s news in the world of AI!
If you have anything interesting to share, please reach out to us by sending us a DM on Twitter: @rowancheung & @therundownai
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