Tech News Weekly

Google's Advancements in Generative AI: Models and Access

Illustration showing layers of a large language model architecture

Google offers a range of generative AI models and tools through platforms like Vertex AI and Google AI Studio. The **Gemini** family handles multimodal tasks involving text, code, images, audio, and video. For example, developers can use the Gemini Pro API to build chatbots that understand user queries, summarize lengthy reports, or even help write code snippets. The smaller Gemini Nano allows similar features like smart reply to run directly on mobile devices.

For creating images from text descriptions, Google provides models like **Imagen**. This can be used via Vertex AI to generate illustrations for articles or create unique marketing visuals. For researchers and developers wanting more direct control, **Gemma** offers open-weight models. These can be fine-tuned for specific tasks, like analyzing academic literature or building specialized translation tools, while using provided responsible AI guidelines.

Accessing these tools varies. Google AI Studio is useful for quickly testing prompts with Gemini and getting API keys. For larger projects, Vertex AI provides tools to manage datasets, train custom models, deploy AI applications reliably, and access a wide range of models in its Model Garden. Google also provides safety settings and resources to encourage responsible AI development. Developers can utilize these tools via the Google AI SDKs.

Summary of Key Google AI Models & Platforms

Model/PlatformPrimary Use CasePrimary Access Point(s)
Gemini (Pro, Flash, Nano)Multimodal Tasks, Chat, Summarization, Code GenGemini API, AI Studio, Vertex AI
ImagenText-to-Image GenerationVertex AI
GemmaOpen Models for Fine-tuning & ResearchFrameworks, Vertex AI
Google AI StudioWeb Prototyping, API Key Generationaistudio.google.com
Vertex AIEnterprise MLOps, Training, DeploymentGoogle Cloud Console