Farewell Bard, Hello Gemini: Google Rebrands its AI

In a significant move reflecting the evolution of its AI capabilities, Google has renamed its conversational AI, formerly known as Bard, to Gemini. This rebranding aligns the user-facing product with the name of the underlying family of powerful AI models Google has been developing. The change, announced in February 2024, comes with substantial updates aimed at enhancing the user experience and expanding the AI's functionalities.

Central to this update is the introduction of different tiers of the Gemini model. While the standard Gemini experience (replacing Bard) continues to be powered by the capable Gemini Pro model, Google has also launched Gemini Advanced. This premium subscription service, part of the Google One AI Premium plan, grants users access to Ultra 1.0, Google's largest and most capable AI model to date. Ultra 1.0 is designed for highly complex tasks, excelling in areas like coding, logical reasoning, following nuanced instructions, and creative collaboration.

The user experience has also been refined. The Gemini interface aims to minimize visual distractions, improve readability, and simplify navigation, making interactions smoother and more intuitive. Users can often choose between different response drafts generated by the AI, allowing them to select the output that best suits their needs.

Integration remains a key focus. Gemini is designed to work seamlessly with various Google applications through Extensions, including Gmail, Maps, YouTube, Docs, Drive, and more. This allows users to leverage Gemini's capabilities directly within their existing workflows, such as summarizing emails, planning trips in Maps, or finding information within documents. Gemini supports interactions via text, voice, and even images across platforms.

Furthermore, Gemini is now more accessible via dedicated mobile experiences. A new Gemini app is available for Android, which can optionally replace the Google Assistant as the primary mobile assistant, responding to "Hey Google" or other activation methods. On iOS, Gemini's features are integrated directly into the existing Google app, accessible via a toggle. The rollout began in the US in English and subsequently expanded globally in Japanese, Korean, and English, although initially excluding the UK, Switzerland, and the European Economic Area countries.

This strategic shift underscores Google's ambition to make its most advanced AI technologies directly accessible and deeply integrated, positioning Gemini as a central component of its future and a key competitor in the rapidly evolving AI landscape against rivals like OpenAI's ChatGPT.