Google has developed a new artificial intelligence tool that can help iPhone users better understand complex or confusing text on the web. Available in Google’s iOS app starting today, Simplify generates a simpler, clearer version of any highlighted text without leaving the current web page.
Simplify is based on Google’s Gemini artificial intelligence model and was developed by Google’s research team to make technical jargon easier to understand for anyone without losing key details. For example, Simplify can break down medical terms such as “emphysema” (a condition that damages the air sacs in the lungs) and “fibrosis” (dense connective tissue or scarring that develops in response to damage) in reports and journals, saving readers from having to refer to the terminology on a separate web page.
Google claims that during testing, the simplified versions were “significantly more useful than the original complex text,” but admits that the study “has limitations” and that “constant vigilance” is needed to track down errors.
The feature can be found in the Google iOS app by selecting any text on a website and tapping the “Simplify” icon from the menu that appears. When asked if Simplify will be available for Android and desktop Chrome users, Google spokesperson Jennifer Kutz told The Verge that “we have nothing to announce yet, but we’re always looking to add useful features to more of our products.”
