AI: this is why Google opted for the name Gemini!

I/O 2024 was an opportunity for Google to unveil many things, ranging from Android 15 to accessibility, including of course artificial intelligence. Moreover, the Mountain View firm took the time to publish a blog post explaining the origins of the name of Google’s AI models: Gemini.

At first, the name chosen was Titan, which is none other than Saturn’s largest moon. Even if Jeff Dean, co-technical director of Gemini, was not “a big fan” of this name, “this gave him an idea for a name rooted in space”, explains the publication.

Google explains that it has opted for Geminimeaning twin in Latin and representative in astronomy “the name of a constellation associated with the twins of Greek mythology Castor and Pollux, who gave their name to the constellation’s two brightest stars”.

Between zodiac sign…

We thus learn that the first meaning tends towards that of the zodiac sign of Gemini, alias Gemini in English. “One of the main characteristics of the Gemini star sign is a dual-natured personality, able to adapt quickly, connect with a wide range of people, and see things from multiple perspectives—themes well-suited to what was happening at Google at the time”, we can read.

Google also explains that this represents the rapprochement between its two teams working around AI: DeepMind and Brain. “The Gemini initiative was born because we wanted to bring together our teams working on language modeling”, says Jeff Dean.

…and space

The other meaning of Gemini comes from space with the project of the same name carried out by NASA from 1965 to 1968, having “served as a bridge between the Mercury missions, which demonstrated that humans could survive in space, and Apollo, which sent the first person to the moon”.

Google explains to us that NASA named this project Gemini for its two-seater spacecraft, “designed to test equipment and techniques to keep astronauts in space for an extended period before Apollo”. And to add that “Ten crews flew into space on this mission, which resulted in significant feats, such as the United States’ first spacewalk and the first-ever connection between two spacecraft orbiting of the earth“.

Google unveils the success of the Appolo program “resonated with the team”. Oriol Vinyals, co-technical director of Gemini, explains that he was immediately attracted by the name, because the monumental effort involved in forming LLMs resonates with the spirit of rocket launches. He also states “that it was entirely appropriate to give the name Gemini to the most ambitious project we have ever undertaken.”

As a reminder, Gemini upgraded to version 1.5 Pro last week in France.