Google Renames AI: Bard Becomes Gemini

Google has announced a significant rebranding of its AI chatbot and assistant, Bard, now known as Gemini, alongside the release of a new app and subscription options. This rebranding reflects Google’s focus on AI assistants and agents, with Gemini being powered by the suite of AI models under the same name.

The new app for Gemini is now available for Android users, while iPhone users can access it through the Google app on iOS. This move underscores Google’s dedication to enhancing AI assistants and investing in productivity tools.

During Alphabet’s recent earnings call, CEO Sundar Pichai emphasized the company’s commitment to AI development, aiming to provide users with AI agents capable of handling various tasks within Google Search and beyond.

Google’s Gemini rebranding marks the initial steps towards creating a comprehensive AI assistant. The company also introduced a new subscription option, offering access to Gemini Ultra 1.0, its most powerful AI model, for $19.99 per month via Google One.

Currently, the rollout is available in over 150 countries and territories, with plans to expand language support beyond English to include Japanese and Korean soon.

The rebranding also extends to Duet AI, now renamed Gemini for Workspace and Gemini for Google Cloud, which aims to boost productivity for client companies. Additionally, Google One subscribers with the AI subscription can leverage Gemini’s assistant capabilities across various Google services, with plans to integrate more context from users’ content in the future.

The transition from Bard to Gemini aims to clarify that users are interacting directly with cutting-edge AI models. While the current capabilities are focused on tasks such as summarization and generating to-do lists, Google envisions AI agents evolving to handle more complex tasks in the future, driven by advancements in generative AI.

Reuters