If you were getting used to call Google’s AI “Bard”forget that name: the Mountain View company has renamed its AI chatbot Gemini, like the AI model launched late last year. Not only that: also the functions of Duet and all the other AI tools will have will fall under the umbrella of Gemini, for which it also comes an app that can act as a voice assistant on Android. And with the launch of Gemini Ultra 1.0Big G’s AI becomes even more powerful — and accessible to everyone.
Google’s AI is now called Gemini, goodbye to Bard and Duet
In the field of AI, distinguishing between the name of the product and that of the underlying model is not easy for those who are not “in the industry”. For example, AI search or text composing apps (such as Microsoft’s Copilot) are often said to “use ChatGPT.” But that’s not true: ChatGPT is the name of the tool that you can use on the official website and in the OpenAI app. The model LLM (Large Language Model) they use is called GPT.
However, the acronym GPT made it easy to understand what we were talking about. With Google’s products, it wasn’t as simple. The site for chatting with artificial intelligence was called Bard, although there was a similar service called Duet AI. The model that made them interact, however, is called Gemini — and there are several variants, such as Gemini Nano which works on smartphones and the Ultra version for servers. In short, a series of different names that are not easy for marketers to manage — something that Google has to catch up on compared to ChatGPT.
So, the Mountain View company has decided to simplify: everything related to AI will be called Gemini. The chatbot, formerly known as Bard, becomes Gemini and will have a dedicated app for Android. Additionally, the tech giant has included all of its Duet and Google Workspace AI features under the Gemini brand.
Google’s AI assistant
As Google itself announces on its blog, you can now take advantage of the Gemini Pro 1.0 model in forty different languages, including Italian, directly from the dedicated site. We tested it right away to ask about the differences between Bard and Gemini, and it seems that the AI doesn’t yet know that they have become the same thing. But otherwise, it works.
In addition to the browser, you can also access from your smartphone. L’Gemini mobile app in fact, it arrives for every Android device, offering an experience similar to the web one. But there is an interesting novelty: you will, in fact, be able to replace Google Assistant with Gemini, to become the new default assistant. And it could soon become the default one too, given how Google seems to be increasingly focusing on conversational AI.
Although there is not yet a dedicated app for iOS (and in any case, you cannot replace Siri as the default assistant for now), you will be able to access the AI features of Gemini through the Google app on Apple devices. There’s even a toggle in the app that lets you switch between Search and Geminisomething which, as The Verge underlines, smacks of an epochal leap: Search remains Google’s flagship product.
Google also launches Gemini Ultra 1.0
The Mountain View company didn’t just announce a rebrand and a mobile app. In fact, he even throws Gemini Ultra 1.0, the most advanced version of its language model. To access this more powerful AI, users will need to sign up for a subscription. However, Gemini Advanced it’s included in the Google One AI Premium plan (along with 2TB of Google Drive space and other features). And you’ll also be able to use Gemini in Gmail, Docs, and other company apps — though not immediately, the feature is coming “soon.”
Big G has decided to invest heavily in Gemini, even at the image level. Replacing Search, enriching Google WorkSpace apps: the potential of generative AI seems enormous. But to succeed, Google will have to compete with OpenAI. In addition to the name and the convenience of using Gemini as your smartphone’s default assistant, you will also need performance. And at the moment, GPT-4 seems faster and more competent than what, until yesterday, they called Bard. Although Google has undoubtedly reduced the gap compared to even just a few months.
With the launch on the Pixel but also on the Galaxy S24, the popularity of Gemini could soon grow. Also because Google is also integrating its AI into Google Ads ads and many other services for companies. The competition between AI has never been higher, and we finally have the (hopefully) final names of the contenders: Gemini vs ChatGPT. Who will win still remains to be seen.
