AI Gadgets Evolve: Google's Gemini Gains a Face, Meta's Muse Sparks Debate

The landscape of AI-powered consumer devices is rapidly evolving, with new features and hardware emerging. Google's Gemini has introduced a "Live Avatar" feature in its 3.8 Live update, allowing users to interact with an animated AI persona that lip-syncs and displays facial expressions in real-time. This advanced conversational interface is currently exclusive to Gemini Enterprise customers, signaling a push towards more visually engaging AI interactions.

Meanwhile, Meta's new AI gadget, Muse, is drawing attention for its Tamagotchi-like appearance and its potential for personalization. Developers have reportedly found ways to access Muse's entire filesystem, raising questions about data privacy and control. The device's cute aesthetic has also been noted as potentially "sinister" by some, highlighting the complex relationship between user-friendly design and underlying AI capabilities. Beyond these new devices, Google is also expanding Gemini's utility by allowing it to make calls to businesses on behalf of users, aiming to reduce wait times for tasks like reservations or product inquiries, initially for Pixel 11 owners.