Google launches Gemini 3.8 Live voice models

Google’s developer announcement describes asynchronous function calling: an agent can continue streaming audio while a tool or API request runs. It also lists visual context, multilingual interaction and incremental content updates. Extended Thinking supports configurable thinking during background work. Those details distinguish the release from a service that only transcribes speech or reads a completed text response aloud.

Both models are rolling out through the Gemini API and AI Studio. Consumer destinations differ: Search Live uses 3.8 Live; Gemini Live uses Extended Thinking. In Workspace, Extended Thinking is available in Docs for Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers, and in Gmail and Keep for Google AI subscribers. Enterprise access is in private preview; customer-experience access and Extended Thinking for Workspace business customers are listed as forthcoming.

The developer post also discusses Gemini 3.5 Transcribe, a separate speech-to-text model released earlier. A team seeking a transcript should distinguish that requirement from a conversational agent that reasons and calls tools. Google’s demonstrations and published benchmark claims do not establish task accuracy, end-to-end response time or operating cost for your own workflow. Ashlr has not independently evaluated these models.

Meta introduced Muse Wonder and Muse Wonder Full, its latest models for personal and professional agent tasks. The models include Active Memory for cross-conversation context and Active Focus for persistent goal pursuit with error recovery. Availability is through the Meta Model API and Muse Code now, with broader Muse rollout planned for subscribers.