Google finally made its At a Glance widget usable, thanks to AI

Google is finally giving its At a Glance widget a massive upgrade, and this time, it’s betting big on AI. The update will be available on all versions of Android from Android Pie (Android 9) and up, making it available to a slew of users. The new version of the At a Glance widget will rely on AI to deliver important information when you need it, Google explains.

According to Google, the new AI behind the Google Assistant At a Glance widget will utilize information stored in your account to provide flight information, weather information, and any other useful information at a glance. This should make it easier than ever to keep up with important reminders.

A new video showcased some of the features expected to drop this month, including the At a Glance widget and other new AI features, like Google’s Image Q&A on Lookout, which can use AI to generate descriptions of images for people who are blind or low-vision. 

The AI here is really impressive, allowing users to ask questions about the image and receive answers that help them get a better idea of what the image contains. The new feature is supported in 34 different languages, 11 of which are just now joining the fray.

Of course, Google Assistant getting big AI updates isn’t all that surprising. Google has been betting big on AI as of late, especially when it comes to finding ways to navigate the tricky legal world surrounding it. The company has even gone so far as to create a system that can detect AI images made with its generators, something that others will no doubt follow up on.

It’s good to see Google finally putting some heavy weight behind the At a Glance widget, too, even on other devices. While it has been around for a while, the widget has always fallen short of other widgets that offer similar functionality. Now, though, you might finally have a reason to use Google’s instead.