Lead Hacker

Some ads will have chatbots built in. | Image: Google Google's AI-powered Search era apparently also extends to its ads. Now, when you search for a product, Google's Gemini AI chatbot will surface relevant items and generate a "custom explainer" about why you should purchase a specific one. The update comes just one day after Google revealed a new Search box for larger, more conversational queries, along with a focus on AI-generated results. In an example shared by Google, someone searching for a "compact espresso pod machine" might see a Nespresso Vertuo Up under a "Sponsored Product" label, alongside an AI-generated description saying: For a quality machine, look for capsule compatibility … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/tech/934585/google-ai-shopping-ads-search

You can soon check for SynthID and C2PA markers directly on your Chrome browser. | Image: The Verge Google is expanding AI detection capabilities to Chrome and Search, with the aim of making it easier for people to identify deepfakes. The updates, announced at Google I/O today, cover not only SynthID - the invisible watermarking technology developed by Google DeepMind - but also content embedded with C2PA content credentials , making both systems more accessible for users to learn how the content they see online was made or manipulated. To start, Google says verification for images that carry SynthID markers (which indicate they've been made with Google's AI tools) is coming to Search features starting today, including Google Lens, AI Mode … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/tech/933424/google-synthid-c2pa-content-credentials-expansion

Google I/O 2026 kicks off today, with the event’s keynote presentation slated for 10AM PT / 1PM ET on May 19th.  Gemini is expected to be front and center once again at this year’s developer conference, with Google potentially introducing new versions of AI models and more agentic AI features. Google already showed off a bunch of AI features coming to Android 17 , including AI-generated widgets, during the Android Show . The keynote is likely to bring similar updates to Search and other Google properties.  We could also get an update on Google XR and potentially even a glimpse at some new smart glasses, with models from Samsung and even Gucci reportedly in the works.  Follow along for the latest updates. The Vergecast is going live right after I/O. Some wild Verge alumni appear at I/O. Google I/O 2026 live blog: On the ground at Google’s keynote Google I/O 2026: How to wat...

It's not just you - the Google Workspace apps are getting a new look. The redesigned app icons, leaked last month , are now rolling out widely, as we started noticing this morning. Users with the redesigned icons will notice they now have a gradient look that fades from lighter to darker shades, rather than being the same flat tone throughout, similar to the redesigned Google logo that launched a year ago . Some of the icons switched from a rainbow design to a single color, like Google Chat, Meet, and Calendar, which could help all of the icons stand out a bit more from one another - or make them harder to recognize. Others haven't changed a … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/tech/932417/google-gmail-docs-cal-sheets-workspace-icon-redesign

Alexa Plus, Amazon's upgraded AI assistant, can now generate podcasts on "virtually any topic," according to an announcement on Monday . With the update, Amazon says you can give Alexa Plus a topic, and the AI assistant will offer an overview of what its AI hosts plan to talk about, allowing you to steer the conversation and adjust its length before it starts generating the episode. Some "Alexa Podcast" examples shared by Amazon have two AI-generated hosts talking about the history of the Roman Empire, new music, and expectations for the World Cup. Amazon says you can also ask Alexa Plus to generate audio lessons about the Apollo missions, o … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/tech/932375/amazon-alexa-plus-ai-podcasts

Zero Parades: For Dead Spies wants you to question the price of forgiveness. After leading a crew of spies through a failed operation, protagonist Cascade is willing to pay whatever amount is needed to reestablish contact not just with fellow agents, but with the friends she let down. After being "frozen" for five years and forced to do desk work, Cascade is sent to the city of Portofiro with an assignment and a chance to redeem herself. Zero Parades highly resembles Disco Elysium , the critically acclaimed 2019 RPG featuring a disastrous detective dealing with generational heartbreak and a hangover that split his psyche into dozens of voice … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/entertainment/931629/zero-parades-for-dead-spies-review-disco-elysium