Google has announced advancements in “Project Astra,” alongside the new AI model Gemini 2.0. Project Astra involves developing a universal, multimodal AI assistant for smartphones or smart glasses that can support users both visually and verbally. The AI assistant can now remember various things, allowing users to use the system as a memory aid. Currently, Project Astra is only accessible to a limited group of testers.
Google introduced Project Astra at the Google I/O in May 2024, showcasing video AI, search AI, and more. The project aims to create AI agents that can understand the world, remember information, and take action, making them useful for users. The Gemini app is expected to gain some of these capabilities by the end of the year, and Google has managed to achieve this for a few testers.
Google describes Project Astra as a “research prototype to explore the future capabilities of a universal AI assistant.” Since the Google I/O, the company has been working with selected testers to enhance and expand the assistant. Now, the AI assistant can understand multiple languages and respond in those languages, including various accents and uncommon words.
The assistant now has a longer memory span. Google mentions that Project Astra has a 10-minute memory during a session, compared to just 45 seconds during the Google I/O. The assistant can also recall more past conversations, aiming to make the AI experience more personal. A shorter latency helps the assistant understand spoken questions and commands as quickly as a human.
Project Astra builds on Google’s new AI model Gemini 2.0 and can utilize various Google services like Search, Maps, and Google Lens. Users can point their smartphone camera at an object and ask the AI assistant for background information. The Astra assistant can also identify different locations, such as bakeries on the way to the city center.
However, the AI assistant still has limitations. According to Axios, Project Astra cannot access emails and photos stored on the user’s smartphone and struggles to distinguish different voices in noisy environments. Simple tasks like setting an alarm or timer are not possible, even though the previous Google Assistant has long been able to perform these functions.
Google continues to work on Project Astra, aiming to integrate these features into the Gemini app and bring them to other formats like smart glasses. The group of testers will be expanded, and interested individuals can join a waiting list to try the AI assistant. However, this is limited to the USA and the UK, as Project Astra is only available there. An Android phone is required, as the AI assistant is currently not compatible with iPhones.