Google rebrands Bard AI as Gemini, unveils innovative new application

Google announces a major rebranding of its AI chatbot and assistant Bard, unveiling a new app and subscription options for Gemini

On Thursday, Google made a significant announcement regarding the rebranding of Bard, its artificial intelligence chatbot and assistant. This includes the introduction of a new app and subscription options for Gemini, the new name for the chatbot powered by the suite of AI models. 

Google also revealed new methods for users to access the AI tool: Android users can now download a dedicated app for Gemini, while iPhone users can utilize Gemini within the Google app on iOS. 

These changes highlight Google’s dedication to advancing and heavily investing in AI assistants, which encompass a wide range of tools from chatbots to coding assistants and other productivity tools. 

During the company’s Jan. 30 earnings call, Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai emphasized the firm’s commitment to AI. Pichai expressed his desire to eventually offer an AI agent capable of handling more tasks on behalf of users, including integration within Google Search. However, he acknowledged that there is much work ahead. Similarly, CEOs of tech giants such as Microsoft and Amazon reiterated their commitment to developing AI agents as productivity tools. 

Sissie Hsiao, Google vice president, highlighted that the Gemini changes represent an initial step toward “building a true AI assistant.” 

In addition, Google introduced a new AI subscription option for power users seeking access to Gemini Ultra 1.0, the company’s most powerful AI model. The subscription costs $19.99 per month through Google One, with a two-month free trial available. These offerings are currently accessible to users in over 150 countries and territories, with plans to expand language support to include Japanese and Korean in the near future. 

The rebranding of Bard also extends to Duet AI, previously known as the “packaged AI agents” within Google Workspace and Google Cloud, which are designed to enhance productivity for client companies. These tools will now be referred to as Gemini for Workspace and Gemini for Google Cloud. 

Furthermore, Google One subscribers with the AI subscription will have access to Gemini’s assistant capabilities in Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Meet. Google aims to incorporate more contextual information from users’ content in Gmail, Docs, and Drive to enhance Gemini’s suggested responses and overall functionality. 

The name change from Bard to Gemini serves the purpose of helping users recognize that they are directly interacting with the AI models powering the chatbot, according to Google’s Hsiao. 

Looking ahead, the potential for AI agents includes tasks such as scheduling group hangouts, managing travel arrangements, purchasing gifts, or fulfilling specific job functions. Presently, however, tools like Gemini are primarily focused on tasks such as summarization, generating to-do lists, and aiding in coding. 

Ultimately, Google’s aim is to leverage generative AI, particularly with their most advanced models and Bard, to enable these tools to act more like agents over time, potentially going beyond providing answers and further assisting users. 

Source: Newsroom