Google’s highly anticipated Cloud Next 2024 event kicked off in Las Vegas this week, showcasing the latest advancements and announcements from the tech giant. As the world eagerly awaits what the event has in store, one thing is certain – Google is ramping up its focus on all things cloud, from AI-powered chatbots to devops and security. With the last in-person Cloud Next being held in 2019, this year’s event promises to be bigger and better than ever with a range of new enterprise-focused updates and debuts on the horizon.
Can’t tune in to the Cloud Next livestream? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Keep reading as we break down the most important highlights from the event, so you don’t miss a thing.
Gemini: Simplifying Database Management
Google’s latest database management tool, dubbed Gemini, is a bundle of AI-powered, developer-focused features that aim to streamline the entire database process for Google Cloud customers. These tools will assist with creating, monitoring, and migrating app databases, making the often complicated and technical process much more user-friendly. In simpler terms, Gemini makes navigating databases a breeze.
Renewed Focus on Data Sovereignty
While Google has offered cloud sovereignties in the past, the company is now turning its attention towards building strategic partnerships rather than solely relying on its own infrastructure. This shift aims to strengthen Google Cloud’s capabilities and offerings while providing customers with a more diverse and integrated experience.
AI Takes Center Stage in Enterprise Security
Recognizing the growing importance of cybersecurity, Google has introduced a slew of new AI-powered security tools and features designed to protect large companies. This includes Threat Intelligence, which can analyze large portions of code for potential threats, and Chronicle, a cybersecurity telemetry offering for cloud customers. Additionally, Google is also expanding the capabilities of its enterprise cybersecurity and risk management suite, Security Command Center.
Code Assistance for the Enterprise: Meet Gemini Code Assist
With the launch of Gemini Code Assist, an AI-based code completion and assistance tool, Google is directly competing with GitHub’s Copilot Enterprise. This enterprise-focused tool aims to make coding more efficient and accurate, building on the now-defunct Duet AI service previously offered by Google.
Nvidia’s Blackwell Platform Comes to Google Cloud
In early 2025, Google Cloud will welcome Nvidia’s next-generation Blackwell platform, featuring advanced AI and high-performance computing capabilities. Along with support for Nvidia’s HGX B200 and GB200 NBL72 servers, which are ideal for AI and large language model training, the platform will also offer liquid-cooled GB200 servers for increased efficiency and performance.
Google Workspace: New Features for Enhanced Productivity
Along with the exciting innovations in AI and security, Google also announced new features for its popular Google Workspace, geared towards increasing productivity and efficiency. This includes voice prompts for the “Help me write” feature in Gmail, the ability to instantly refine rough email drafts, and a customizable alert system for changes in important fields on Sheets. For Doc users, tabs are now available for organizing information in a single document, rather than linking to multiple documents or searching through Drive. These features are initially available to subscribers, showcasing Google’s commitment to providing top-of-the-line services for its customers.
Imagen 2: The Evolution of Image Generation
Back in February, Google’s image generator, built into its AI-powered chatbot, Gemini, caused controversy when it was found to be injecting gender and racial diversity into prompts about people, resulting in offensive inaccuracies. In response, Google has released an enhanced version of the tool, Imagen 2, specifically designed for enterprise use. Now available on Vertex AI, this version offers advanced capabilities such as inpainting and outpainting, along with the ability to create “text-to-live” videos from text prompts, similar to other AI-powered clip generation tools.
Chrome Enterprise Premium: Secure Browsing for Businesses
In light of the growing importance of cybersecurity, Google is expanding its Chrome Enterprise product suite by introducing Chrome Enterprise Premium. This service specifically focuses on enhancing the security capabilities of Chrome browsers, recognizing that most high-value work within a company now takes place on browsers.
Introducing Gemini 1.5 Pro: Google’s Most Advanced AI Model Yet
Along with all of the exciting developments at Cloud Next 2024, Google also announced the public preview of Gemini 1.5 Pro on the Vertex AI platform. This generative AI model boasts a significant increase in context processing capabilities, from 128,000 tokens to a staggering 1 million tokens. This feature allows for more accurate and comprehensive AI performance, making it a valuable tool for enterprise users.
With all of these exciting updates and advances, it’s clear that Google is committed to providing cutting-edge cloud solutions and services for its customers. Stay tuned for more updates and announcements from Cloud Next 2024 as the event continues.
