🤖Google’s Code Bot Goes Agentic

Today we will discuss:

• Google's coding AI turns agentic—With new agentic powers, Code Assist can now build apps, translate code, and write tests

• Don’t miss this week’s Workflow Wednesday—AI scaling at work with AI-powered meeting memory using Fireflies.ai, bulk SEO content from Scalenut, and automated dev reminders via GitHub + Zapier;now available at only $20/month! 

• Europe’s ‘AI Continent’ vision—A plan packed with factories, labs, and a support desk for AI rules

• In other AI news today—WordPress launches a basic free AI website builder, Big Tech is building datacenters in drought zones, Google uses AI to enhance The Wizard of Oz for the Vegas Sphere, and a Meta whistleblower claims the company aided China’s AI efforts

• Saved the best for last—10 must-try AI tools

Gemini Code Assist gets agentic upgrade to handle bigger coding tasks

Key Points 

• Google’s new Gemini Code Assist agents can build apps, translate code, and review work with step-by-step updates.

• The upgrade comes amid rising competition from GitHub Copilot, Cursor, and Devin in the AI coding assistant space.

👨‍💻News - At its Cloud Next conference, Google introduced a big upgrade to Gemini Code Assist. The tool is now rolling out agentic capabilities in preview, which means it can deploy AI “agents” that take on complex tasks step by step. 

These agents can build entire apps based on product specs written in Google Docs, or even transform code from one programming language to another. Google says the agents can go beyond just writing code—they can review it, implement new features, generate unit tests, and even handle documentation.

Code Assist is also now available in Android Studio, making it easier for mobile developers to tap into these features. A new Kanban-style board lets developers manage the agents, track progress, and review detailed work plans. 

🏁Why Google’s moving fast - This update comes as a response to the rapid rise of competitors like GitHub Copilot, Cursor, and Devin, the buzzy programming tool from Cognition Labs. With AI coding assistants becoming key productivity tools, the competition is fierce and the stakes are high.

🧐Still some caveats to keep in mind - As impressive as this all sounds, the tech still has limits. AI code generation can introduce bugs and security flaws, especially when the logic gets complex. In one recent test, Devin completed just 3 out of 20 tasks correctly.

So while Gemini’s agents can speed things up, it’s still smart to double-check the code before shipping anything live.

Read the full story here. 

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EU unveils ambitious plan to become ‘AI continent’, rival US and China

Key Points 

• The EU’s new plan focuses on turning its industrial strength and talent pool into real-world AI innovation.

• A network of AI factories and labs will support startups with training data and access to powerful infrastructure.

• The AI Act Service Desk will guide companies through compliance, aiming to build trust and encourage responsible growth.

☕News - The European Union has announced a major plan to boost its AI industry and better compete with the US and China. 

A new “AI Continent Action Plan,” revealed by the European Commission on Wednesday, is focused on turning Europe’s deep industrial base and strong talent pool into real momentum for AI innovation.

🤓Building the AI backbone - A key part of the strategy is building out a network of AI factories and gigafactories. These will house the advanced chips needed to develop and train powerful AI systems. The EU also plans to open specialized labs that will make it easier for startups to access high-quality training data, a common hurdle for smaller companies trying to scale.

🌁Also clearing the legal fog - To ease concerns around compliance with the bloc’s landmark AI Act, the Commission is launching an AI Act Service Desk. This one-stop shop will provide firms with clarity and guidance on navigating the new rules, which Brussels says will boost trust and give entrepreneurs the legal certainty to scale.

Read the full story here.