Google has launched Illuminate, an innovative tool that transforms academic papers into engaging audio podcasts using the language model Gemini. Users can easily absorb knowledge through this platform, especially suitable for learning during fragmented time. Illuminate supports classic computer science papers and offers features like fast forward, rewind, and playback speed adjustment for convenient sharing. Currently, its functions mainly target English content, and it does not provide downloads or subtitles, but there are hopes for further optimization of user experience in the future.

AI academic search engine Consensus has completed a $11.5 million Series A funding round led by Union Square Ventures, aiming to accelerate academic search efficiency. It has a database of over 200 million papers covering all fields of science and academia, supporting various search methods, including keywords, conceptual associations, and Q&A. It uses custom language models to re-rank search results, providing the top 20 most relevant entries. It integrates features like citation generation and supports integration with tools like Zotero, catering to students and researchers.