Technologies

Google Says New Gemini 3 AI Model Is Its Most Capable Yet

Gemini 3 is available to all users in the Gemini app, along with powering AI Mode in Google Search.

Gemini 3, the latest AI model from Google, is the company’s most intelligent model to date, with more advanced multimodal and vibe coding capabilities, the company said in a blog post on Tuesday. It’s available now.

Google says Gemini 3 is «built to grasp depth and nuance» and is better at understanding the intent behind a user’s request. The company also touted Gemini 3’s multimodal capabilities, such as its ability to turn a long video lecture into interactive flash cards or to analyze a person’s pickleball match and find areas for improvement.

Gemini 3 isn’t limited to the app. It’ll also be available in AI Mode in Search and, for Pro and Ultra subscribers, in AI Overviews. In AI Overviews, Gemini 3 can generate interactive elements.

Google DeepMind’s Demis Hassabis and Koray Kavukcuoglu said in a blog post that Gemini 3 Pro is less sycophantic, a problem that’s been plaguing AIs and leading to AI psychosis in some. It’s also more secure against prompt injection attacks, in which bad actors try to make an AI ignore its original instructions and perform unintended actions.

The company also unveiled Google Antigravity, a new agentic development platform. Google says Antigravity is like having an active partner while making tools or working on projects, autonomously planning and executing complex software tasks while validating its own code. It works in tandem with Gemini 2.5’s Computer Use model for browser control and works with nano banana, Gemini 2.5’s image model.

Gemini 3’s new, more powerful, agentic capabilities will only be available to $250/month Google AI Ultra subscribers at first. This will allow the Gemini Agent to do multi-step workflows, like planning a travel itinerary.

Read more: AI Essentials: 29 Ways You Can Make Gen AI Work for You, According to Our Experts

Google’s release of Gemini 3 comes as an AI war is heating up between it, OpenAI, Anthropic and xAI. Google’s consistently been leading AI leaderboards, although other AI models haven’t been far behind, sometimes trading spots at the top. With the release of Gemini 3, Google seems to be trying to solve for some of AI’s more annoying problems, like hallucinations or sycophancy. It’s also trying to prove that AIs can be truly agentic, being able to accomplish tasks on the user’s behalf. Other agentic models have proven to be problematic in real-world usage and run into various security concerns, especially in web browsers.

The latest AI release from Google also comes at a time when there are fears of an AI bubble forming in the stock market. AI companies, including Nvidia, Google, Meta and Microsoft, account for 30% of the S&P 500. Google currently has a valuation of $3.4 trillion. Even Google CEO Sundar Pichai says the trillion-dollar AI investment boom has «elements of irrationality» and that a burst would affect every AI company, in an interview with the BBC. Still, if Google is to keep its stock price moving upward, it needs to demonstrate that its AI models beat the competition.

Technologies

Stuck in a Coffee Rut? ChatGPT Can Now Plan Your Next Starbucks Order

Don’t be surprised if the chatbot suggests mixing espresso with lemonade.

If you like getting your daily cup of coffee from Starbucks, you’ll now be able to consult with ChatGPT for your next beverage. Starbucks said on Wednesday that a new Starbucks app in ChatGPT, now in beta, will help you figure out your next order based on your mood or craving in the moment.

Although you won’t be able to order your Starbucks coffee directly through the ChatGPT app, it will suggest drinks and menu items you may enjoy, then direct you to the Starbucks app or website to complete your order.

OpenAI has added a host of other apps you can interact with in ChatGPT since announcing the functionality last year. You can do everything from browsing home listings to designing playlists without leaving the chatbot interface.

You’ll be able to use prompts like, «@Starbucks, I want something bright to start my morning,» or upload an image to describe your mood and location. Once the menu suggestion appears in ChatGPT, you can start the order through the chatbot and then complete it in the Starbucks app or online.

Paul Riedel, senior vice president of digital and loyalty at Starbucks, said in a statement that Starbucks noticed customers weren’t always starting off by looking at the menu. «They’re starting with a feeling,» he said. «We wanted to meet customers right in that moment of inspiration and make it easier than ever to find a drink that fits.»

Starbucks said interacting with ChatGPT lets you personalize your order more and discover menu options you never considered before.

(Disclosure: Ziff Davis, CNET’s parent company, in 2025 filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.)

When I tried out the new feature, I asked it about the oddest beverage combinations you can get at Starbucks. One interesting combo ChatGPT came up with was espresso with lemonade. The AI described another drink as «basically liquid dessert soup,» if that’s more up your alley.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for April 16, #570

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for April 16 No. 570.

Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.

Today’s Connections: Sports Edition is a fun one, especially if you enjoy unusual team names. If you’re struggling with today’s puzzle but still want to solve it, read on for hints and the answers.

Connections: Sports Edition is published by The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by The Times. It doesn’t appear in the NYT Games app, but it does in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can play it for free online.

Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta

Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Put your glasses on for this.

Green group hint: Hoops home.

Blue group hint: The minors.

Purple group hint: Hidden hoops word.

Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Yellow group: Look at.

Green group: Seen at an NBA court.

Blue group: Double-A baseball teams.

Purple group: Starts with a WNBA team.

Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words

What are today’s Connections: Sports Edition answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is look at. The four answers are observe, spectate, view and watch.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is seen at an NBA court. The four answers are benches, half-court logo, scorer’s table and shot clock.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is double-A baseball teams. The four answers are Biscuits, Drillers, Trash Pandas and Wind Surge.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is starts with a WNBA team. The four answers are dreamy, firefly, Skype and sundial.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Thursday, April 16

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for April 16.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? It’s pretty simple, but 1-Across is a bit tricky. Read on for all the answers. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.