The Gemini AI continues quietly on its merry way. In a blog post published Thursday February 8, 2024, Google announced several important developments in its generative AI service.
Bard becomes Gemini, and adopts the Ultra model via Gemini Advanced
For starters, Bard is renamed Gemini. The American firm explains this change as follows: “Our mission with Bard has always been to give you direct access to our AI models, and Gemini represents our most capable family of models. To reflect this, Bard will now simply be known as Gemini”.
Access to generative artificial intelligence therefore adapts, moving from bard.google.com to gemini.google.com. As a reminder, the service has been running under the Gemini Pro 1.0 model since the beginning of February 2024 in France.
Google is moving up a gear today thanks to Gemini Advanced. Running under its most advanced AI model, Gemini Ultra 1.0, the latter is accessible via a new subscription at $19.99 per month: Google One AI Premium.
“Much more capable of performing highly complex tasks like coding, logical reasoning, following nuanced instructions, and collaborating on creative projects”, Gemini Advanced is currently limited to English and 150 countries (of which France is not one). Google still specifies that its access will be extended to other languages “over time”.
Please note, the Google One AI Premium subscription includes all the benefits of Google One Premium, including 2TB cloud storage. Google emphasizes that subscribers will be able to “shortly” use Gemini on its other services, including Gmail, Docs, Slides, and Sheets.
Gemini arrives on Android and iOS
Google has also extended access to Gemini on smartphones, whether on Android or iOS.
For starters, a Gemini app is now available on the Play Store. Thanks to the latter, it is possible to launch Google’s generative AI in several ways: via the app icon, by pressing and holding the power button, by sliding your finger diagonally from a corner of the screen or by pronouncing the famous phrase “Hey Google”.
Then, a contextual panel opens and allows you to write, speak or take a photo in order to make a request using Gemini.
On iOS, Gemini integration is not as thorough as on Android. Thus, AI is accessible via a new section at the top of the Google application. By clicking on the star icon, we find an interface similar to the web version of Gemini, allowing you to write, speak or take a photo to make a request.
The Gemini app is only available in English on Android and iOS in the United States at this time. “Starting next week, you’ll be able to access it in more places in English, Japanese, and Korean, and soon in other countries and languages”, specifies Google.