Google Adds Multimodal Search to AI Mode 👀

Welcome to another edition of Horizon AI,

It hasn’t been that long since Google introduced AI Mode, and it’s already getting an upgrade — multimodal search powered by Lens and Gemini, so users can search using images instead of just text.

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Read Time: 4.5 min

Here's what's new today in the Horizon AI

• Google AI Mode Adds Multimodal Google Lens Search

• Shopify CEO: No New Hires Unless AI Can’t Do the Job

• AI Tutorial: 7 AI Prompts Ideal for Reasoning Models

• AI Tools to check out

• The Latest in AI and Tech 💡

• AI Findings/Resources

AI News

GOOGLE

Google AI Mode Adds Multimodal Google Lens Search

AI Mode is adding multimodal input and understanding that lets users take a new photo with Google Lens or upload an existing image, allowing them to “easily ask complex questions about what they see.”

Details:

• The update combines a custom version of Gemini AI with the company’s Lens image recognition tech, allowing AI Mode Search users to receive a 'rich, comprehensive response with links' to questions about images or photos.

• AI Mode initially launched exclusively for Google One AI Premium subscribers last month. Now, Google says it has started rolling it out to 'millions more' Labs users in the US, and you can sign up in Labs now to try it.

• The company also announced new Google’s Gemini Live camera and screenshare functions, which let the chatbot answer questions about the stuff you’re looking at in real-time.

AI Mode for Search is Google’s answer to the rising popularity of generative AI search applications like Perplexity and ChatGPT Search. The company states that it will continue to refine the user experience and expand the functionality prior to a more general release.

Source

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SHOPIFY

Shopify CEO: No New Hires Unless AI Can’t Do the Job

Shopify CEO Tobi Lütke sent a memo to employees stating that, before requesting more staff or resources, teams must prove why they 'cannot get what they want done using AI.'

Details:

• In the memo, shared on X, Lütke emphasized that using AI effectively is "now a fundamental expectation of everyone at Shopify."

• He pointed out that AI was "the most rapid shift to how work is done" that he’d seen in his career and emphasized that "using AI well is a skill that needs to be carefully learned by… using it a lot."

• He added that from now on, AI usage questions will also be included in the company’s "performance and peer review questionnaire."

This new direction signals a future where AI integration isn’t optional but essential. Tobi Lütke is convinced AI will be necessary for success, but there are concerns about how this shift will affect workers.

Source

AI Tutorial

7 AI Prompts Ideal for Reasoning Models

Reasoning models shine when given tasks that involve critical thinking, problem-solving, and structured analysis. Here are seven types of prompts that bring out the best in these models:

1. Problem-Solving Prompts
These push the model to break down a challenge and offer step-by-step solutions.

Break down the process of setting up a sustainable balcony garden in a small apartment, considering space, resources, and plant compatibility.

2. Hypothesis Testing Prompts
You can ask these models to evaluate possible outcomes based on certain assumptions.

If a city offers free bike rentals during peak hours, how would different rental durations and locations affect people's daily commutes?

3. Comparison Prompts
Let the AI weigh pros and cons of two or more options.

What are the benefits and drawbacks of using electric vs. gasoline-powered vehicles in a city setting?

4. Strategy Prompts
Let the model plan for long-term goals while considering available resources and constraints.

Develop a five-year strategic plan for a local restaurant to expand its customer base, considering staffing, marketing budget, and other businesses in the area.

5. What-If Prompts
These explore alternate realities or outcomes, encouraging creative reasoning.

If the internet had never been developed, how would society and economies be different today?

6. Forecast Prompts
Ask the AI to predict future trends based on current patterns.

How is the demand for printed books likely to change over the next 10 years, based on current reading habits?

7. Risk Analysis Prompts
Get AI to help you identify threats and suggest ways to manage or avoid them.

Considering the rising threat of cyberattacks, what steps should companies take to strengthen their cybersecurity?

AI Tools to check out

📽 Kozy: Create professionally edited videos effortlessly.

🚀 Velocity: A Prompt co-pilot that turns unclear instructions into optimized, AI-ready prompts in one click.

✅ AutoDiagram: Transform ideas into professional diagrams with AI.

💤 Remy AI: Sleep & health coach.

🧠 Remento: Turn memories into a keepsake book. No writing required.

AI Findings/Resources

🔮 A deep dive into MCP and the future of AI tooling

📚 Short course: Vibe Coding 101 with Replit

💥 AI race in 2025 is tighter than ever before

🌐 The 2025 AI Index Report – Stanford University

The latest in AI and Tech

AI diagnoses major cancer with near perfect accuracy

"Researchers have developed an AI model that detects endometrial cancer with 99.26% accuracy, a significant improvement over the current automated diagnosis, which has an accuracy of only 78.91% to 80.93%.

Meta denies claims of Llama 4 benchmark manipulation

Shortly after Meta released its two new models, Maverick and Scout, a rumor began to circulate in the AI community that Meta had trained its Llama 4 models to perform better on benchmarks while hiding their real limitations.

Al-Dahle, VP of generative AI at Meta, referred to this as 'simply not true,' but he acknowledged that some users are seeing 'mixed quality' from the models and that they are working to address this.

Large publications urge the U.S. government to protect content from AI

The 'Support Responsible AI' campaign, run by the News/Media Alliance trade association, consists of several ads that will appear both in print and online.

The aim is to push the U.S. government to require tech companies to pay for the content they use to train their AI products.

OpenAI negotiates $500m deal for AI startup

OpenAI has entered discussions about potentially acquiring "io Products," an AI hardware startup where CEO Sam Altman collaborates with former Apple design chief Jony Ive.

The dire wolf is back

Scientists claim to have revived the Dire Wolf, a huge wolf species that’s been extinct for 10,000 years.

The two wolves were brought back from extinction using genetic edits derived from a complete dire wolf genome, meticulously reconstructed by “Colossal” from ancient DNA found in fossils dating back 11,500 and 72,000 years.

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Gina 👩🏻‍💻