Can you believe it’s been a whole year since Google first unveiled “Bard” – their chatbot meant to compete with ChatGPT? Well, grab some cake I guess! Although Google’s celebrating by officially rebranding the service to “Gemini” after the AI model now powering it. RIP Bard, we barely knew ya.
For those who need a refresher, Bard originally ran on Google’s LaMDA model when announced last February. But in December they switched over to the newer Gemini framework. And now the service will take on the Gemini branding to match.
This freshly-christened Gemini chatbot is available in 40+ languages across 230+ countries. You can access it on the web or try the new Gemini mobile app. As a “multi-modal” AI assistant, you can chat with Gemini over text and voice. But also show it photos for analysis or even ask it to generate images in response.
Now here’s the big news – there will be TWO tiers of Gemini going forward. The basic free version most of us will use, and a paid “Gemini Advanced” subscription running on an upgraded model called Gemini Ultra 1.0.
This premium Gemini will be baked into Gmail, Docs, and more later this year. After a free 2-month trial, Gemini Advanced requires a $20/month Google One AI subscription. It launches first in English across 150+ countries, with expanded language support down the road.
And for Android folks, the Google Assistant is essentially getting supplanted by Gemini. You can still use old voice commands to set timers and control smart home gadgets. But now the underlying chatbot and AI smarts all come from Gemini instead.
So there you have it – looks like Google is getting deadly serious about its AI assistant game. Between the rebranding, two tiers of capabilities, and deeper integration with Google services, they aren’t playing around!