News from the AI & ML world

DeeperML - #vertexai

@techradar.com //
References: AWS News Blog , Data Phoenix ,
AI adoption is accelerating rapidly, with Amazon reporting that a UK business is adopting AI every 60 seconds. This surge in adoption is highlighted in a recent AWS report, which indicates a 33% increase in the past year, bringing the total of UK businesses utilizing AI to 52%. Startups appear to be leading the charge, with 59% adoption rate, and are also more likely to have comprehensive AI strategies in place compared to larger enterprises, 31% versus 15% respectively. Benefit realization is also on the rise, with 92% of AI-adopting businesses reporting an increase in revenue, a substantial jump from 64% in 2024.

Amazon is also introducing new tools to assist developers in building and scaling AI solutions. Amazon Q Developer is now available in preview on GitHub, enabling developers to assign tasks to an AI agent directly within GitHub issues. This agent can develop features, conduct code reviews, enhance security, and migrate Java code. The tool aims to accelerate code generation and streamline the development process, allowing developers to quickly implement AI-driven functionalities within their projects. Installation is simple, and developers can begin using the application without connecting to an AWS account.

Adding to its suite of AI offerings, Amazon has launched Nova Premier, its most capable foundation model, now generally available on Amazon Bedrock. Nova Premier is designed to handle complex workflows requiring multiple tools and data sources. It boasts a one-million token context window, enabling it to process lengthy documents and large codebases. One notable feature of Nova Premier is its model distillation capabilities, allowing users to transfer its advanced features to smaller, faster models for production deployment. Amazon is investing in AI training, with a UK initiative to train 100,000 people in AI skills by the end of the decade, collaborating with universities such as Exeter and Manchester.

Recommended read:
References :
  • AWS News Blog: Amazon Q Developer is now available in preview on GitHub, enabling developers to assign tasks to an AI agent that can develop features, conduct code reviews, enhance security, and migrate Java code, all directly within GitHub issues.
  • Data Phoenix: Amazon Nova Premier, now generally available on Amazon Bedrock, can handle complex workflows requiring multiple tools and data sources. It also features outstanding model distillation capabilities, enabling users to transfer its advanced features to smaller, faster models for production deployment.
  • www.techradar.com: UK businesses are adopting AI broadly, but many don't have comprehensive strategies or skilled workers.

@cloud.google.com //
Google is significantly expanding the AI and ML capabilities within its BigQuery and Vertex AI platforms. BigQuery is receiving a boost with the integration of the TimesFM forecasting model, a state-of-the-art, pre-trained model from Google Research designed to simplify forecasting problems. This managed and scalable engine enables users to generate forecasts for both single and millions of time series within a single query. Additionally, BigQuery now supports structured data extraction and generation using large language models (LLMs) through the AI.GENERATE_TABLE function, alongside new row-wise inference functions, expanded model choice with Gemini and OSS models, and the general availability of the Contribution Analysis feature.

NotebookLM is also seeing expansion with the "Audio Overviews" feature now available in approximately 75 languages. This feature, powered by Gemini, allows users to listen to AI-generated summaries of documents, slides, web pages, and YouTube transcripts in multiple languages. This feature distills any mix of documents into a scripted back-and-forth between two synthetic hosts. Users can direct tone and depth through a prompt and then download an MP3 or keep playback inside the notebook. Early testers report that multilingual voices make long reading lists easier to digest on commutes and provide an alternative channel for blind or low-vision audiences.

Furthermore, Google is experimenting with AI-powered language learning formats through its “Little Language Lessons,” integrated directly into NotebookLM and running on Gemini. These tools support situational learning, generating content dynamically based on user-described scenarios, rather than relying on fixed vocabulary lists. Google is also preparing new Gemini AI subscription tiers, potentially including a "Gemini Ultra" plan, evidenced by code discoveries in the Gemini web interface referencing distinct tiers with varying capabilities and usage limits.

Recommended read:
References :
  • Data Analytics: What’s new with BigQuery AI and ML?
  • the-decoder.com: Google expands "Audio Overviews" to 75 languages using Gemini-based audio production
  • TestingCatalog: Google expands NotebookLM with Audio Overviews in over 50 languages
  • The Official Google Blog: NotebookLM logo surrounded by waveforms and language options like English, বাংলা (Bengali), Nederlands (Dutch), Español (Spanish), العربية (Arabic), and българÑки (Bulgarian), suggesting multilingual capabilities.
  • THE DECODER: Google expands "Audio Overviews" to 75 languages using Gemini-based audio production

@docs.google.com //
Google Cloud's Vertex AI is expanding its generative media capabilities, now boasting models across video, image, speech, and music. The platform is integrating Google's Lyria text-to-music model, allowing users to generate high-fidelity audio, and enhancing existing features in Veo 2, Chirp 3, and Imagen 3. These additions enable enterprises to create complete, production-ready assets from a single text prompt, encompassing images, videos with music, and speech elements. Vertex AI aims to provide a comprehensive solution for media creation across various modalities.

The enhancements to existing models include new editing and camera control features for Veo 2, providing creative control over video content. Chirp 3 now includes Instant Custom Voice, enabling users to create custom voices with only 10 seconds of audio input, as well as AI-powered narration and speech transcription with speaker distinction. Imagen 3 has improved image generation and inpainting capabilities for seamless object removal. These updates aim to help users refine and repurpose content with precision, reduce post-production time, and produce higher-quality assets.

Google emphasizes the importance of safety and responsibility in the development and deployment of these models on Vertex AI. Built-in precautions include digital watermarking through SynthID, safety filters, and data governance measures. Additionally, Google offers IP indemnification, assuring users that they are protected from third-party intellectual property claims when using content generated with these tools. New customers can also start building with $300 in free credits to try Google Cloud AI and ML.

Recommended read:
References :
  • AI & Machine Learning: This article discusses Vertex AI now being the only platform with generative media models across video, image, speech, and music.
  • Kyle Wiggers ?: Google’s enterprise cloud gets a music-generating AI model

@blogs.nvidia.com //
Google Cloud is making significant strides in the realm of multi-agent systems with new enhancements to its Vertex AI platform. This move is designed to empower enterprises to build and manage AI agents more effectively, recognizing the increasing importance of these agents in various business operations. The key highlight is the introduction of the Agent Development Kit (ADK), an open-source framework that streamlines the agent creation process, allowing developers to construct AI agents with minimal code. This approach fosters greater control over agent behavior and ensures seamless integration within the enterprise ecosystem.

To further enhance multi-agent collaboration, Google Cloud is championing the Agent2Agent protocol, an open language that enables agents built on different frameworks or by various vendors to communicate and work together seamlessly. This interoperability is crucial for creating comprehensive AI solutions that span different systems and data sources. Google Cloud is actively partnering with over 50 industry leaders to drive the adoption of this open standard, fostering a shared vision for the future of multi-agent systems.

Vertex AI offers a comprehensive platform that integrates models, data, and agents, enabling enterprises to orchestrate the three pillars of production AI. This combination ensures agents perform reliably, mitigating the need for fragmented solutions. With the addition of Lyria, Google’s text-to-music model, Vertex AI now stands as the only platform with generative media models across all modalities – video, image, speech, and music. The platform allows enterprises to build and test concepts with free credits for new customers and offers free monthly usage of over 20 products, including AI APIs.

Recommended read:
References :
  • AI & Machine Learning: This article discusses Vertex AI updates.
  • venturebeat.com: Google Cloud intros AI security agents, unified security platform to consolidate ops, triage, threat intel
  • Ken Yeung: Google Pushes Agent Interoperability With New Dev Kit and Agent2Agent Standard
  • MarkTechPost: Google Introduces Agent2Agent (A2A): A New Open Protocol that Allows AI Agents Securely Collaborate Across Ecosystems Regardless of Framework or Vendor
  • NVIDIA Newsroom: NVIDIA Brings Agentic AI Reasoning to Enterprises With Google Cloud
  • the-decoder.com: Google unveils new AI models, infrastructure, and agent protocol at Cloud Next
  • www.marktechpost.com: Google Introduces Agent2Agent (A2A): A New Open Protocol that Allows AI Agents Securely Collaborate Across Ecosystems Regardless of Framework or Vendor
  • futurumgroup.com: At Google Cloud Next, Google Brings its Databases to Bear on Agentic AI Opportunity