Quit creating dull slides, as Google Vids has just made AI avatars available for free for all.

      Google Vids introduces free AI avatars, extends video generation time and adds multilingual voiceovers

      If you've been looking to convert presentations into videos without needing to record yourself, Google has some exciting updates. Starting today, all individuals with a personal Google account in the US can access AI avatars in Vids at no cost, with a broader rollout planned for other regions later this summer. Free users are allowed 10 video generations each month, which can be allocated between avatar creations and Veo-powered videos.

      Enhance your presentations with a free AI presenter

      You can choose a standard avatar from Google’s curated gallery or create a personalized avatar using Nano Banana 2. Additionally, scripts and voiceovers are now available in 24 languages, allowing the same avatar to present your product in English one day, and in Arabic or Vietnamese the next.

      If you've created presentations in Google Slides, Vids will transform that content into a storyboard and generate a script for an avatar to present onscreen, eliminating the need to repeat your pitch across different time zones.

      Prefer not to show a face? Paid users on AI Pro, Ultra, and Business or Enterprise tiers can use an AI voiceover instead, which now supports eight languages, including Japanese, Korean, Spanish, and French.

      Paid Veo users can also surpass the previous limit of eight-second clips with the new extended Veo 3.1 capability in Vids, allowing you to narrate a longer story without losing consistency between scenes.

      What’s next for your avatars in Google Vids?

      Coming later this summer, an Emotion Steering feature will be introduced for both free and paid users. This feature will enable you to modify how an avatar or AI voiceover conveys a message to better align with your intended tone.

      The Emotion Steering feature builds upon Direct Avatars, which already allows you to position an avatar within a scene and have it walk, talk, and interact with objects based solely on textual prompts.

      With free avatars, multilingual voiceovers, emotion controls, and longer AI-generated videos, Google Vids empowers you to create professional content without the expense and time associated with traditional video production.

      Manisha Priyadarshini is a tech and entertainment writer with over nine years of editorial experience.

      Claude Design now adheres to your brand guidelines rather than generic AI templates

      Claude Design has now connected to Adobe, Canva, and other tools.

      Anthropic has recently launched a significant update for Claude Design, its AI-powered visual creation tool initially introduced in research preview. The tool already enabled users to transform simple prompts into prototypes, decks, and marketing materials, and now it offers even more functionalities. The latest update introduces design system support, a seamless transition to Claude Code, a revamped editor, and numerous new app integrations.

      Qualcomm unveils flagship XR processor and new framework for AI glasses

      Qualcomm is laying the foundation for the next generation of XR hardware with two announcements focusing on the technology inside future headsets and the tools required for their development. At Augmented World Expo 2026, the company revealed Snapdragon Reality Elite, its new flagship XR platform designed for devices operating on Android XR and other mixed-reality experiences. Qualcomm also announced Snapdragon START, a new initiative aimed at assisting brands in quickly launching AI-powered smart glasses and wearable devices.

      Google launches Android 17 for Pixel phones

      Gemini Intelligence will arrive later this year for select devices.

      After months of speculation and two keynote presentations in May 2026, Google has officially released Android 17, the stable version. It is now being rolled out to eligible Pixel devices today, including models from the Pixel 6 line up to the latest Pixel 10 series. The stable version includes numerous features demonstrated at The Android Show and Google I/O, but if you were looking to access Gemini Intelligence, that will be released later this summer for “select advanced devices.” Here’s what Android 17 offers upon launch.