Google is making significant changes to its generative AI bot, formerly known as Bard, rebranding it as Gemini to align with the underlying AI model powering it. Additionally, the tech giant has unveiled a new premium version, Gemini Advanced, catering to consumers.
Gemini Advanced offers users access to Google’s most extensive AI model, Gemini Ultra, priced at $19.99 per month under the Google One AI Premium plan. Alongside access to Gemini Ultra, the subscription includes 2TB of Google Cloud storage and, in a forthcoming update, integrates Gemini across Google Docs, Gmail, Slides, and Sheets.
Jack Krawczyk, Google’s senior product director, describes Gemini as a reflection of the company’s holistic approach to AI, marking a phase of maturation for its AI endeavors. Gemini replaces Bard, which was launched last March as an AI platform allowing users to receive text, code, and image responses to text prompts. With the debut of the Gemini AI model in December, boasting advanced multimodal capabilities, Google has transitioned Bard to run on this new software.
Google aims to establish an ecosystem around the Gemini platform, offering three versions: Gemini Nano for smartphones, Gemini Pro for businesses, and Gemini Ultra for high-end AI applications such as the Gemini chatbot.
Highlighting Gemini’s enhanced capabilities, Krawczyk illustrates a scenario where a user encountering a flat tire could upload a photo to Gemini and receive step-by-step instructions on changing the tire.
Android users can access Gemini through the new Gemini app via the Google Play store or by opting into Gemini through the Google Assistant. Once opted in, users cannot revert to using Google Assistant. iPhone users can utilize Gemini through the Google app, and on the web, Gemini can be accessed via its website.
Initially launching in the US in English, Gemini will subsequently roll out in Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Africa.
While the rebranding of Bard to Gemini is notable, the introduction of a paid version holds particular intrigue. It presents a new revenue stream for Google, capitalizing on its increased investment in generative AI. Furthermore, it positions Google’s consumer offering directly against Microsoft’s Copilot Pro AI bot, which also carries a $19.99 price tag.
The move not only expands the competition between Google and Microsoft in the consumer AI space but also adds another dimension to their rivalry in the enterprise sector, where both companies deploy generative AI bots within their productivity suites.