Since August 2011, Sarah Perez has been a veteran TechCrunch reporter. Most recently, she raised the alarm about the tech bro consolidation. In another big AI announcement this week, Google said it will embed its Gemini 2.5 Flash into Figma’s design platform. This partnership will supercharge AI image editing and generation. It’s tailored in unique ways for Figma’s 13 million monthly active users.
With Gemini 2.5 Flash, users will be able to create stunning AI images with ease. Simply type in your prompts and ask for adjustments to design amazing AI-generated images! As companies race to dominate the AI landscape, this partnership illustrates the trend of top AI developers seeking to embed their models within existing applications that have substantial user engagement.
Prior to coming on board with TechCrunch, Perez was with ReadWriteWeb for over three years. There, she honed her skills as a reporter and rooted herself in the realities of technology. Her IT background has touched many industries, including banking, retail, and software. This experience provides her a crucial ‘first-hand’ perspective on the great technological innovations that are presently altering the competitive landscape.
In addition to the Figma acquisition, Google has made deals or partnerships with a host of companies. These range from GAP to Gordon Foods to Klarna, Macquarie Bank, Melexis, Mercedes to Signal Iduna, Valiuz and Virgin Voyages. These partnerships are just a small sign of a larger trend happening. Consumer demand is quickly becoming the driving force behind AI profits. Industry experts caution that many generative AI initiatives within companies often fail to meet expectations, raising concerns about the sustainability of these advancements.
As the technology landscape evolves, OpenAI has made headlines by allowing users to interact with applications inside ChatGPT. For example, this feature promotes collaborations with other well-known platforms such as Spotify, Booking.com, Expedia, Coursera, Zillow, and Canva. Second, it underscores the extreme competition at stake in the AI market.
If you’d like to get in touch with Perez for further commentary or to fact-check her articles, email her at sarahp@techcrunch.com. Or, you can message her via Signal at sarahperez.01.
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