Google is pushing the boundaries of AI with two exciting new projects: Project Astra and Project Mariner. These tools showcase the company’s move toward what it calls the “agentic era,” where AI can take action on your behalf and think multiple steps ahead.
Project Astra is a next-generation virtual assistant that can process text, images, video, and audio in real time. It remembers past interactions and responds more naturally. You can ask it questions about images or videos, and it will provide detailed answers.
Now, Google is expanding testing to more users, including testing with prototype glasses. Astra’s future integration into products like Google Search and Maps will make it even more helpful.
The Updates include a better understanding of accents, reduced latency, and the ability to remember up to 10 minutes of context.
Project Mariner is a new AI agent that can control your browser to complete tasks. For example, it can add items to your shopping cart while you watch. It’s still in the early testing phase, but the goal is to make it faster and more efficient in the future.
These tools are part of Google’s larger vision to create AI agents that can perform tasks with minimal human input. However, there are challenges. AI agents are still unpredictable and vulnerable to issues like prompt injections, which can make them act unexpectedly.
Currently, Google is focusing on addressing these concerns with increased security measures.
Though these AI systems are still in development, they represent a major leap in what’s possible with AI. Google’s “agentic era” is set to redefine how we interact with technology, making it more proactive and intelligent. But for now, these tools remain prototypes, with no official release dates in sight.
