Everything is Gemini, but not all Geminis are created equal. Google’s latest AI changes are confusing and mystifying for any user.
Earlier today, Google made a series of announcements regarding Google Assistant, Bard, and Gemini — the large-language model (LLM) Bard is based on. If these names are already confusing to you or if anything about Google Assistant has ever been confusing to you, prepare to be even more confused. A thousand times more confused.
Google Bard is now Gemini, so the Gemini chat service will run on the Gemini LLM, while Duet AI in Google Workspace is also becoming Gemini, but it might not have all the features of Gemini because it’s limited to Gmail and Drive, mostly. Plus there are three tiers of Gemini models, which require hardware as small as your phone or as large as Google’s servers — and one of those tiers will require you to purchase a monthly $19.99 Google One storage plan.
Plus, there’s a new Gemini app that is replacing Assistant on your phone, but it won’t do everything Assistant does (we don’t know the limitations yet), and it’s not coming to smart speakers or TVs or your watch. This app will have access to the more powerful Gemini tier because it talks to Google’s servers. So yes, your Pixel or other Android phone might have one Gemini model built-in for local processing, and a more powerful Gemini model accessible through the Gemini app. Oh, and nobody knows what happened to Google Assistant with Bard — we presume it’s dead because it’s basically the new Gemini app?!
Sounds confusing?
I.
Am.
Not.
Even.
Done.
Yet.
Gemini, like Google Assistant before it, will suffer from a set of drawbacks we’ve all already experienced.
