As an avid sci-fi reader, reality is often more mundane than fiction. From Asimov’s robot servants to Neal Stephenson’s metaverse, we have only managed to create pale approximations of these ideas. However, it seems that we’re inching closer to the AI depicted in the 2014 movie Her, thanks to recent advances in artificial intelligence.
Take Google’s Gemini AI assistant, which feels light years ahead of the older Google Assistant when it comes to life-like, natural interactions. The mobile conversational version — Gemini Live — can tell you stories, jokes, play games, and more. It changes topics when interrupted without dropping a beat. It’s very chatty, and there are 10 voices, including one with a British accent, to choose from. I can imagine myself talking with it on the go when Gemini Live makes it way into the new Google Pixel Buds 2.
And that’s just the start. Google has already demonstrated a version that use a s…
