MichaelBTech

Google has made a troubling decision. That’s what I thought after reading the headline, “Google Lifts a Ban on Using Its AI for Weapons and Surveillance,” on my Google News feed. My first thought was of Google’s former motto, “Don’t be evil.” Though those words were removed years ago, many hoped that some vestige of that ethos remained internally. Now, it appears Google is continuing to dismantle its ethical framework.

In 2018, as the AI race accelerated, Google published its “AI Principles,” outlining applications they would not pursue. I applauded Google for these commitments:

We will not design or deploy AI in the following application areas:

1. Technologies that cause or are likely to cause overall harm. Where there is a material risk of harm, we will proceed only where we believe that the benefits substantially outweigh the risks, and will incorporate appropriate safety constraints.

2. Weapons or other technologies whose principal purpose or implementation is to cause or directly facilitate injury to people.

3. Technologies that gather or use information for surveillance violating internationally accepted norms.

4. Technologies whose purpose contravenes widely accepted principles of international law and human rights.

While some might consider these the bare minimum for a company of Google’s size, many wondered if they would uphold them. It seems that cautious optimism has given way to “I told you so,” as Google has revised these “principles.” As Wired reported, Google executives cited the growing use of AI, evolving standards, and geopolitical competition as the reasons for revising their principles.

What was overhauled? Conspicuously absent is the entire section from 2018 regarding prohibited AI applications. The “overhauled” principles now focus on three aspects: Bold Innovation, Responsible Development and Deployment, and Collaborative Progress, Together:

Bold Innovation: We develop AI to assist, empower, and inspire people in almost every field of human endeavor, drive economic progress and improve lives, enable scientific breakthroughs, and help address humanity’s biggest challenges.

Responsible Development and Deployment: Because we understand that AI, as a still-emerging transformative technology, poses new complexities and risks, we consider it an imperative to pursue AI responsibly throughout the development and deployment lifecycle — from design to testing to deployment to iteration — learning as AI advances and uses evolve.

Collaborative Progress, Together: We learn from others, and build technology that empowers others to harness AI positively.

This shift illustrates what happens when a company grows to such a scale. It begins to be influenced by prevailing political winds. This realization represents a personal evolution. For decades, I followed tech news and was excited about gadgets, viewing them primarily as just that—fun gadgets. I overlooked the ethical responsibilities involved. The past ten years have shown me the far-reaching effects of these “gadgets” at scale. All of these technologies—smartphones, tablets, AI, software, and services—have a dual nature. Products can be announced with shiny, inspiring keynotes promising to “make the world a better place,” but they also have a darker side. This is Google’s dark side today, and I strongly disapprove of it. This decision could lead to the development of AI-powered weapons systems, increased surveillance, and other ethically problematic applications.

Google’s “AI Principles” in 2018

Google’s “AI Principles” in 2025

Proverbs 16:25: “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death."

Choosing the right AI tool for your Drupal development workflow can be tricky. Google’s Gemini offers two powerful options: 1.5 Pro and 2.0 Flash. While both can assist with tasks like code debugging, their strengths lie in different areas. This post breaks down the key differences, focusing on practical examples for PHP and Twig within the Drupal context.

Gemini 1.5 Pro: The Deep Dive Expert

Think of 1.5 Pro as your seasoned consultant. It excels at in-depth analysis and complex problem-solving. Its strength lies in understanding nuanced code issues, often buried within layers of logic. It’s ideal for situations where careful examination and context are paramount.

Gemini 2.0 Flash: The Speedy Problem Solver

2.0 Flash is your quick-thinking colleague. It’s designed for speed and efficiency, perfect for rapid iteration and tackling straightforward bugs. It shines when you need immediate feedback and fast solutions.

Debugging PHP and Twig: A Practical Comparison

Let’s imagine a scenario: a Twig template in your Drupal project isn’t displaying a variable correctly.

Gemini 1.5 Pro Approach:

You provide 1.5 Pro with the problematic Twig code, the relevant PHP code that populates the variable, and a description of the expected output. 1.5 Pro meticulously analyzes both, tracing the variable’s journey from the PHP code to the Twig template. It might identify a typo in the variable name, a logic error in the PHP code that’s preventing the variable from being set, or a scope issue. It may even suggest related Drupal documentation or best practices for handling variables in Twig. The response might take a little longer, but it’s thorough and provides a deep understanding of the root cause.

Example:

twig
{# Problematic Twig Code #}
{{ user_namee }}

{# Related PHP Code #}
$user_name = \Drupal::currentUser()->getAccount()->getDisplayName();
// ...some other code...
$build['user_name'] = $user_name;

**1.5 Pro might respond:** _"The Twig template is trying to display user_namee, but the PHP code defines the variable as user_name.  This typo is preventing the name from being displayed.  Correct the Twig code to_  {{ user_name }}."

Gemini 2.0 Flash Approach: You provide 2.0 Flash with the same code snippets. It quickly scans for common errors. It might immediately flag the typo in the variable name and suggest the correction. While it might not delve into the broader context of the code as deeply as 1.5 Pro, its speed is invaluable for quickly catching these common mistakes.

Example (same code as above): 2.0 Flash might respond: “Possible typo: user_namee in Twig should be user_name to match the PHP variable.”

Which One to Choose?

• Use 1.5 Pro: When you’re dealing with complex bugs, unfamiliar code, or when you need a deep understanding of the issue. Think of it as your go-to for those “head-scratching” moments.
• Use 2.0 Flash: When you need rapid feedback, are working on straightforward tasks, or want to quickly catch common errors. It’s perfect for iterative development and those “aha!” moments. By understanding the strengths of each version, you can leverage Gemini to boost your Drupal development productivity and streamline your debugging process. They aren’t mutually exclusive; use them strategically to maximize your efficiency.

Note: Gemini 2.0 Pro is almost here.

The other day, while I was listening to the “Android Developers Backstage” Podcast, my Pixel vibrated and asked me to “Bring Pixel closer to Tablet”. Of course, I followed my pocket Android’s instructions and Voilà! “Tap to Cast” automagically casted the podcast to my Pixel Tablet. You can see below:

View on Threads

You might’ve see this already posted on Threads and BlueSky (which took forever to upload btw), but I thought it was so cool! I heard about the feature when it was announced, but I never knew when it would reach my devices. It was a nice surprise. Especially when it was a happenstance instead of, like I used to, spam the update button to get the latest features. I need to take on that practice more. See the feature announced and go about my day, not angrily spam the “update” button and shake my fist at the clouds like a mad man, trying to force the feature to my devices.

I digress. Abner at 9to5Google explained it best back in January, 2024:

When listening with YouTube Music or Spotify, bringing your Pixel 6 Pro, 7 Pro, 8 Pro, or Fold – which all have UWB (Ultra-Wideband) – near a docked Pixel Tablet will seamlessly move what’s playing between devices. This is bidirectional with the ability to transfer a song from the Pixel Tablet to your Pixel phone also available.

Officially, Google is using a “range of technologies to determine the proximity and presence of devices as part of multi-device experiences, which includes UWB.” Its Cross device SDK was announced in 2022 and consists of three layers:

• “The first layer recognizes what devices are physically close by, with wireless technologies like Bluetooth Low Energy, Wi-Fi, and ultra-wideband (UWB).”

• “The second layer is nearby device discovery and context-aware capabilities that identify which device you may want to use based on your current activity.”

• “Finally, the third layer understands and adjusts actions based on how you interact with your devices with cross-device intelligence.”

Google went as far to explain that “Tap to Cast” is available without any additional work if developers integrate Output Switcher (2.0) on Android 14. Right now, it’s only available with YouTube Music and Spotify with UWB enabled Pixel devices like my Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel Tablet. It’s nice to know that this isn’t an exclusive Pixel feature so more hardware and apps could be supported in the future!

Google offering ‘voluntary exit’ for employees working on Pixel, Android

This sounds like Google is letting the extra bulk roll off voluntarily? To me this sounds like the equivalent to when Steve Jobs asked Jony Ive his “why” to him being on the Mac team. Google provided a full statement to 9to5Google below:

The Platforms & Devices team is offering a voluntary exit program that provides US-based Googlers working on this team the ability to voluntarily leave the company with a severance package. This comes after we brought two large organizations together last year. There’s tremendous momentum on this team and with so much important work ahead, we want everyone to be deeply committed to our mission and focused on building great products, with speed and efficiency.

I’m assuming this was a conversation that happened when the Platform & Devices team restructured to a more functional organization model a year ago. Something Apple and other hardware makers do to bring more focus on their products. Now that Google is truly in it’s Gemini era, Pixel, Nest, and Fitbit truly need to be the vehicles for Google’s vision. Especially with Android XR getting a lot of positive reception from the public. I’m hoping Google lives up to the hype in 2025 as I know quite a few individuals on that team that have done some amazing work already.

This post is inspired by Parker Ortolani’s thought-provoking question, “Where are the BlueSky Clients?". Like Ortolani, I’m puzzled by the apparent focus on Mastodon clients over BlueSky clients by developers.

“…what I can’t wrap my head around is the business decision of developers to lean into Mastodon clients versus Bluesky ones.”

Ortolani’s observation about developers leaning towards ActivityPub despite BlueSky’s larger user base (30 million vs. Mastodon’s 9 million) raises a valid point. While the extensive tooling available for ActivityPub development might be a factor, I suspect there’s more to the story. Perhaps I’m wrong, but I believe a stronger connection between the Android, ActivityPub, and AT Protocol communities is crucial, given their shared focus on decentralized infrastructure.

My own perspective on the Fediverse and social media ownership has shifted recently. I’m striving to recapture the joy of social platforms as spaces for community and collaboration, rather than succumbing to the pressures of capitalism and centralized control. This very shift prompted me to migrate my blog from Substack to Micro.blog. I appreciate that Micro.blog offers an Android app, and while it’s currently basic, I hope to see more active development on the Android front. A friend of mine has a blog that breaks down the different Activity Pub blogging platforms that I think is incredibly useful, but it’s solely available as a web app.

This brings me to a key point. I’ve even considered exploring Android app development myself, alongside my full-stack web development work. I understand the time and effort required to build clients, and I’m genuinely grateful for platforms like Micro.blog that offer apps in the Play Store (or even sideloadable on Android). However, I believe a stronger synergy with Android, the world’s most popular mobile operating system, is essential for the growth of decentralized social media.

For a decentralized network, prioritizing web development followed by Android development seems logical. Focusing primarily on the web and then closed ecosystems like iPadOS and iOS feels counterintuitive. Perhaps I’m missing a critical piece of the puzzle, but it strikes me as a backwards approach.

Why aren’t we seeing more development for the most accessible and widespread mobile platform?