So long, Bard, we hardly knew ye.
Google this morning re-christened its Bard artificial-intelligence chatbot as Gemini, to match the name of the
Alphabet
unit’s family of large-language models. The company will gradually retire the short-lived Bard name, which was first unveiled with the beta launch of the service last March. The service, which was found at bard.google.com, moves to gemini.google.com.
Google is also launching new mobile versions of the chatbot. And the company is unveiling a premium subscription version called Gemini Advanced that will be offered as part of its highest-tier Google One data-storage plans. Gemini Advanced will provide access to the most advanced version of the Gemini large language model, Ultra 1.0.
Google is launching a new Gemini mobile app on Android devices today, while adding a similar experience in the Google app on
Apple
iPhones. The experience allows queries via text, voice, or image.
On Android devices, Gemini effectively will replace Google Assistant; it will be accessible through a press on the power button, a corner swipe or even with a “Hey Google” voice command. Any of those methods will pop-up an overlay on top of whatever applications you’re using at the time. The app will also include Google Voice features such as setting timers, making calls, and controlling smart home devices.
For Apple devices, access is via a toggle in the Google iOS app to switch to Gemini. Google said in a briefing with reporters that it views the new app as “an important first step towards building a true AI assistant.”
Both new mobile experience are available immediately in English in the U.S., with access in English, Japanese, and Korean in Asia to follow next week, and more languages and regions to be added later.
Also new is Gemini Advanced, a premium version of the chatbot which includes the Ultra 1.0 version of the Gemini large language model. The service—which can do tasks such as writing code, creating content, and generating images—will be offered as part of a bundle with the company’s Google One subscription service.
Google One with access to Gemini Advanced will be priced at $19.99 a month, including two terabytes of cloud storage, which can be shared with family members, and includes a few other features, such as discounts in the Google store. That same plan now runs $9.99 a month, or $99.99 a year, without Gemini Advanced. Google said it also plans to give subscribers the ability to use Gemini in Gmail, Docs, Slides, Sheets, and Meet.
Google is offering a free two-month trial of Gemini Advanced starting today.
Google also is rebranding its Duet AI companion app for the company’s Workspace productivity apps as “Gemini for Google Workspace and Google Cloud.” The service, which is generally targeted at commercial customers, is priced at $30 a month, comparable to
Microsoft’s
Copilot software for its 365 office suite. Subscribers will get access to Gemini in Gmail, Docs, Slides, Sheet, and Meet, making it easier to create memos, emails, resumes and other content.
Write to Eric J. Savitz at eric.savitz@barrons.com
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