Technology and innovations are constantly evolving, making it challenging to stay on top of it all. Here are some highlights that caught my attention this week.
Google AI Overviews
Google is transforming the way you search. A new feature called AI Overviews recently rolled out.
Instead of sifting through numerous links, AI Overviews will piece the information together for you before displaying your search results.
For instance, when I asked “What makes a good journalist?” AI Overviews provided the answer below.
Good journalists have many qualities, including:
- Writing skills: They have a way with words and can tell an average news story from an engaging one. They also have excellent written communication skills
- Research skills: They are thorough, pay attention to detail and have investigative skills
- Communication skills: They have excellent verbal communication skills and can work well under pressure
- Ethics: They value ethics and integrity
- Other skills: They are professional, confident, persistent and disciplined. They also have thinking and reasoning skills and knowledge of the English language and media production
But there were also some bizarre results people encountered. In one viral screenshot, someone asked how they could get cheese to stick to pizza, and AI Overviews recommended using non-toxic glue.
In another example, AI Overviews told users to eat a rock a day for the minerals and nutrients.
Google says AI Overviews is still a work in progress, and those kinds of examples are being used to improve the system.
Micro EV slated for U.S. launch this year
You’ve probably heard of micro apartments and micro-homes, but how about micro electric vehicles?
The company Eli Electric Vehicles is launching its micro EVs in the U.S. later this year. The company hopes to revolutionize urban travel and reduce pollution and traffic. At 5.4 feet tall, 7.4 feet long and 4.5 feet wide, it’s easier to maneuver around traffic and park. It’s designed for short daily trips, with a top speed of 25 miles per hour and a range of about 90 miles per charge. Prices start at just under $12,000.
Goodbye ICQ
The end of an era is coming for a beloved icon from the early days of the internet. You may have to be an ’80s or ’90s kid to remember, but ICQ is shutting down. It was one of the earliest instant messaging apps to take off in the late ’90s and early 2000s. At its peak, it boasted 100 million users, each with a unique number. Then came a gradual decline with the rise of AOL Instant Messenger, MSN Messenger, Yahoo Messenger, cell phones and social media. The pioneering platform that once defined online communication for a generation is going away on June 26.