Google, the tech giant, has revealed that it has rebranded its artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot, Bard, to Gemini. Alongside the rebranding, Google has also launched a mobile app for Gemini in the United States.
Sissie Hsiao, the vice president and general manager for Google Assistant and Bard, made the announcement on February 8. The AI chatbot, which is now called Gemini, is based on Google’s advanced large language AI model called Ultra 1.0. According to Google, Gemini is capable of handling highly complex tasks such as coding, logical reasoning, following detailed instructions, and collaborating on creative projects.
In a blog post, Google stated that the premium version of the chatbot, Gemini Advanced, allows for longer and more detailed conversations, as well as a better understanding of context from previous prompts. It can act as a personal tutor, assist with advanced coding, and help with brainstorming creative projects.
Gemini Advanced is available through the new Google One AI Premium subscription, which costs $20 per month. Google plans to integrate the chatbot into its services such as Gmail, Docs, Sheets, and Slides in the near future.
The mobile app for Gemini was launched on Android and Apple iOS in the United States on February 8. Google has announced that it will expand the availability of the app to more locations and languages soon. The mobile version of Gemini is designed to be a conversational and multimodal AI assistant, capable of generating captions for photos, answering questions about articles, making calls, and controlling smart home devices.
Hsiao mentioned that Google is working with local regulators to ensure compliance with local requirements before expanding the availability of Gemini.
In a separate blog post, Google CEO Sundar Pichai claimed that the underlying technology of Gemini Advanced will eventually surpass the intelligence of even the smartest individuals when it comes to tackling complex topics.
Gemini faces competition from Microsoft-backed OpenAI, which released its ChatGPT in November 2022 and upgraded it to GPT-4 in March 2023.
In addition to the launch of Gemini, Google is also participating in an initiative to develop “nutrition labels” for digital content. These labels will provide information on how the content was produced or altered, including through the use of AI. Google will be collaborating with companies such as Adobe, BBC, Microsoft, and Sony on developing technical standards for these digital credentials through the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity.
Overall, Gemini represents Google’s latest advancement in AI technology, offering users a powerful and versatile AI chatbot experience.