Google DeepMind's Aeneas model can restore fragmented Latin text
Ancient Romans left behind a plethora of inscriptions. But these texts are often fragmented, weathered or defaced. Rebuilding the missing pieces is a grueling task that requires contextual cues. An algorithm that can pore over a dataset of those cues can come in handy.
Aeneas speeds up one of historians' most difficult tasks: identifying "parallels." In this setting, that means finding similar texts arranged by wording, syntax or region. DeepMind says the model reasons across thousands of Latin inscriptions. It can fetch parallels in seconds before passing the baton back to historians.
DeepMind says it turns each text into a historical fingerprint of sorts. "Aeneas identifies deep connections that can help historians situate inscriptions within their broader historical context," the Google subsidiary wrote.
One of Aeneas' most impressive tricks is restoring textual gaps of unknown length. (Think of it as filling out a crossword puzzle where you don't know how many letters are in each clue.) The tool is also multimodal, meaning it can analyze both textual and visual input. DeepMind says it's the first model that can use that multi-pronged method to figure out where a text came from.
DeepMind says Aeneas is designed to be a collaborative ally within historians' existing workflows. It's best used to offer "interpretable suggestions" that serve as a starting point for researchers. "Aeneas' parallels completely changed my perception of the inscription," an unnamed historian who tested the model wrote. "It noticed details that made all the difference for restoring and chronologically attributing the text."
Alongside the release of Aeneas for Latin text, DeepMind also upgraded Ithaca. (That's its model for Ancient Greek text.) Ithaca is now powered by Aeneas, receiving its contextual and restorative superpowers.
Researchers can take Aeneas for a spin at DeepMind's "Predicting the Past" website. It also open-sourced the model's code and dataset.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Android Authority
19 minutes ago
- Android Authority
I needed three phones to set up my Google TV, and one was running Android 10
Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority 🗣️ This is an open thread. We want to hear from you! Share your thoughts in the comments and vote in the poll below — your take might be featured in a future roundup. I recently bought a Chromecast with Google TV, and before you shout at me for purchasing a device that's discontinued, I thoroughly researched my options beforehand. I decided to smash that checkout button because it was the best option in my price range and cleared all my other criteria. It's been humming along now for a few days and I believe I've made the right decision, but the setup process made me seriously question this conclusion. Initially, I tried the setup process through the Google Home app on my Galaxy S24 FE running Android 15. Once I scanned the QR code, an authentication error appeared. I tried typing in the eight-letter code, and nothing. I figured I should probably try the Pixel 8 running Android 16. After all, a Google product using a Google app to register a second Google product should be seamless, right? Not quite. Again, I received an authentication error. At this point, I was stumped. I figured I was sold a problematic device and was considering returning it. I enjoy smashing nails with hammers a little too much, so I turned to Reddit and other forums to see if I needed to use a little more force or a different approach. Lo and behold, I stumbled across a solution: using a phone running a much older version of Android might do the trick. So, I dug out my HUAWEI P30 Pro running Android 10(!), opened the Home app, ran a device scan, and immediately connected my Chromecast. Ten minutes later, I was sweeping through the UI. As mentioned, my Chromecast has been working without issue thus far, and I'm ultimately happy I purchased it. It's cheerful, compact, cheap, and will accompany me on many adventures. Getting to this point was a trial, though. Have you experienced annoyingly similar setup issues with Google TV products or perhaps any Google product in the past or recently? I want to hear your stories. Here are some more questions: What is your craziest Google product setup story? Have you had any recent issues with Google products in your home? If you could change one thing about the Google smart home experience, what would that be? Have you purchased a Chromecast with Google TV this year? If so, why? It's been nearly a year since Google launched the TV Streamer. If you own one, what has been your experience with it? Be sure to vote in the poll below, too! Have you had any issues setting up a Google smart home device recently? 0 votes Yes, I've had issues setting up a Google TV device. NaN % Yes, I've had issues setting up a Google smart speaker. NaN % Yes, I've had issues setting up another Google home device (mention which in comments). NaN % No, I have not. NaN % 👇Sound off in the comments section below with your anecdotes and opinions. Follow
Android Authority
19 minutes ago
- Android Authority
The Pixel 10 Pro Fold dimensions tell a grim yet promising story
Late last week, we got a sneak peek at the upcoming Pixel 10 series' dimensions. While all phones in the line-up are getting heavier than their predecessors in the Pixel 9 series, it's the Pixel 10 Pro Fold that jumped out to me, mostly because it's eschewing the entire foldable industry's trend right now. The Pixel 10 Pro Fold is slightly narrower than the 9 Pro Fold (while also sporting smaller bezels and a larger outer display), but it's a little thicker when unfolded, even thicker when folded, and 1 gram heavier. When every other foldable is boasting thinner and lighter designs, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold already seems left out as a vestige of foldables' past. But I have a bit of hope that it's not all doom and gloom for Pixel foldable fans. Are you Ok with the Pixel 10 Pro Fold getting thicker to fit a larger battery? 0 votes Yes, I'll take more battery any day any way. NaN % No, I want my foldable to be slim and usable with one hand. NaN % Why not both? Silicon-Carbon batteries are thin AND have more capacity! NaN % I'm indifferent. NaN % The Pixel 9 Pro Fold bucked the trend; the 10 Pro Fold is lagging behind Rita El Khoury / Android Authority Oh, what a difference a year makes! In August of 2024, when Google announced the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, it had a big advantage over other foldables (read: the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6) in the US and most Western countries. Google's foldable had considerably slimmed down from the chunky and stubby first-gen Pixel Fold, opting for the more practical narrow+tall display ratio, and going for a very pocketable and hand-friendly 10.5mm thickness when folded. That made the Pixel 9 Pro Fold more lovable and pushed the phone into 'easy to recommend' territory. My brother-in-law bought one solely because it was easier to hold and use than the 2024 Galaxy Z Fold 6. And he's not alone. After talking to many regular users about foldables over the last few years, I came to the following conclusion: thickness, width, and durability are the biggest drawbacks to usability and adoption. Everyone who saw the original Pixel Fold with me marveled at the tech but instantly claimed, 'I could never use that daily.' Why? 'Too wide and too thick to hold,' and 'afraid I'd break it.' Thinness is not a perk for foldables; it's a necessity. If a foldable isn't thin enough to be easily used single-handed in everyday life, it won't win any hearts. Putting aside the durability question for a bit, the consensus around size was that a book-style foldable should be as usable as a regular Android smartphone when folded, because no one wanted to bother opening the display each time they had to read or reply to a message. They needed a phone they could walk and text on single-handed; they didn't want to carry a tablet every second of their lives. The closer a foldable got to a regular phone's dimensions, the better it was. The big, unfolded display would be an extra perk when they'd have a moment to sit down and enjoy it. I wholeheartedly agree with those thoughts. And that's why I enjoyed the Pixel 9 Pro Fold much more than the Pixel Fold. The single-handedness made it a more viable smartphone, as well as being an excellent foldable. Rita El Khoury / Android Authority Now, in 2025, Google is taking a minor step back on paper with the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, but it's a bigger downgrade in reality. The foldable landscape has significantly changed, with many thinner and lighter foldables around. And Google's biggest competitor in the US has now caught up to it and leaped ahead: The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 is a marvel to look at. It no longer has the tall TV remote control aspect ratio, but a wider and more usable outer display, as well as a super thin footprint when unfolded and — most importantly — when folded. At 8.9mm folded, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is so much thinner than the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, and everyone who's used it has praised its one-handed usability in everyday life due to this slimmer profile. 0.1mm extra thickness isn't much on paper, but when your competition is a full 1mm thinner, you're clearly lagging behind. Instead of catching up to this, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold is regressing, adding a few millimeters compared to the 9 Pro Fold, and suddenly becoming the outlier in the flagship foldable race. Samsung literally changed the game overnight with the Z Fold 7, and Google clearly can't keep up. Pixel 9 Pro Fold Pixel 10 Pro Fold Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 Height folded (unfolded) Pixel 9 Pro Fold 155.2mm (155.2mm) Pixel 10 Pro Fold 155.2mm (155.2mm) Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 158.4mm (158.4mm) Width folded (unfolded) Pixel 9 Pro Fold 77.1mm (150.2mm) Pixel 10 Pro Fold 76.3mm (150.4mm) Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 72.8mm (143.2mm) Thickness folded (unfolded) Pixel 9 Pro Fold 5.1mm (10.5mm) Pixel 10 Pro Fold 5.2mm (10.8mm) Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 4.2mm (8.9mm) Weight Pixel 9 Pro Fold 257g Pixel 10 Pro Fold 258g Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 215g Battery Pixel 9 Pro Fold 4,650mAh Pixel 10 Pro Fold 5,015mAh Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 4,400mAh Thickness with benefits? For now, we have one valid explanation for the Pixel 10 Pro Fold's thicker body: a larger battery. An earlier rumor had suggested that Google will up the battery from a 4,650mAh cell in the 9 Pro Fold to 5,015mAh in the 10 Pro Fold — a 7.8% increase. Notably, though, that's a 13.9% larger battery than the 4,400mAh cell in the Galaxy Z Fold 7, which explains the added thickness as well as the 43 grams of extra weight. It's tough to say what the real-world benefits will be before I get to test this myself. Recent Pixels have been notoriously bad with battery life due to the demanding Exynos-inspired Tensor G4 based on Samsung Foundry's problematic 4nm manufacturing process. The new Pixel 10 series, including the 10 Pro Fold, will sport a TSMC-made Tensor G5, which should improve battery life on paper. Add the 7.8% larger battery, and Google's new foldable should see significant battery life gains, but will they be enough to match the great battery-sipping Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite in the Z Fold 7, even if the latter has a smaller battery? Time will tell. We could've had a slimmer Pixel 10 Pro Fold with a larger Silicon-Carbon battery, but alas, no. My only regret, though, is that Google, just like Samsung, hasn't adopted the newer, smaller, and more efficient Silicon-Carbon batteries that we're seeing on OPPO, Xiaomi, vivo, and other foldables. We could've had the best of both worlds: a slim phone and a large battery, but Google has decided to skip this new technology and stick to the larger Lithium-ion batteries. Maybe next year, though? Aside from this battery explanation, we don't know if anything else is contributing to the Pixel 10 Pro Fold's chonkier body. Rumors suggest the cameras are staying largely the same, even potentially getting a minor downgrade, too. A larger sensor or better long-range zoom would've sweetened the deal a bit and made the thicker body more justifiable. I'll have to wait and see if Google surprises me with more unexpected features for the Pixel 10 Pro Fold when it announces it on August 20. For now, though, this is looking like a minor side-step for the series — not an upgrade, not a downgrade either. Perhaps the Pixel 11 Pro Fold will be the real step forward? Follow
Forbes
20 minutes ago
- Forbes
Urgent Google Chrome Update Confirmed — Download And Restart Now
Update Chrome now - you have been warned. A Google Chrome security update is, frankly, hardly breaking news these days. We see them announced week after week, but usually they address a bunch of vulnerabilities that external security researchers have disclosed, and occasionally even a zero-day that is already being exploited by attackers. Thankfully, the latter is not the case here, but it is unusual in that this emergency update addresses a single, high-severity vulnerability disclosed by an anonymous security researcher. If Google felt it was necessary to release an update under these circumstances, then it's imperative that you ensure your browser is updated and the security protections offered are activated as soon as possible. Here's what you need to know, and do. Google Chrome Security Update 138.0.7204.183 Confirmed In a July 29 posting by Google Chrome's Srinivas Sista, the latest security update for the world's most popular web browser was confirmed. The highly unusual notification featured just one security vulnerability that an anonymous researcher had disclosed, and as such, I would suggest it requires your immediate attention. The high-severity CVE-2025-8292 vulnerability is of the use-after-free variety and impacts Chrome's media stream component. The anonymous researcher involved was awarded a bounty of $8,000 for responsibly disclosing the security flaw to Google. Although Sista said that access to the vulnerability details 'may be kept restricted until a majority of users are updated with a fix,' which is good policy, we do know that such use-after-free memory corruption issues can enable remote attackers, using malicious web pages, to execute arbitrary code including malware, as well as the exfiltration of data. Which is why it is recommended that you don't wait the days or weeks it could take for this urgent security update to reach your browser, but instead kickstart the process yourself by simply heading to the Help|About Google Chrome option from your browser settings menu. Update Chrome now. This will take your browser to version 138.0.7204.183/.184 for Windows, Mac and 138.0.7204.183 for Linux. It is not, however, enough to protect you from the Chrome vulnerability that is being patched. To get that protection, you need to activate the update by restarting the browser. Your open tabs will be saved and reopened, so you don't need to worry about losing work. Relaunch your browser to activate Chrome protection.
