Rumours have proven to be true as Google Bard gets officially renamed as Gemini, the name previously used for the AI model family powering it. Plus, you now also get an app.
Google has officially rebranded its Bard AI chatbot as Gemini, aligning with the powerful Large Language Model it is built upon. Also, the search giant now offers a dedicated app for Gemini, and is available on both iOS and Android platforms.
Plus, there’s also a new advanced version of the chatbot—Gemini Advanced; it comes with Google’s new Ultra 1.0 LLM. For those uninitiatedGoogle, in December last year, had introduced the Gemini AI model family, with its Nano, Pro, and Ultra variants on offer, but Ultra was held off until now. It replaced the PaLM 2 LLM as its more advanced AI model yet.
Rumors of this impending change circulated last week, ignited by the leak of a Bard changelog courtesy of developer Dylan Russel on X, hinting at a potential change in the name. The changelog explicitly stated, “Bard is now Gemini.”
That said, Google CEO Sundar Pichai notes that Gemini Advanced, which is going to be a paid experience, is “far more capable at reasoning, following instructions, coding, and creative collaboration.”
He added: “You can start using Gemini Advanced by subscribing to the new Google One AI Premium plan, which offers the best of Google’s AI features in a single place. This premium plan builds off the popular Google One service offering expanded storage and exclusive product features.”
Notably, the initial two months of Gemini Advanced through the Google One AI Premium plan come without charge. Subsequently, users can continue the subscription by paying Rs 1,950, unlocking benefits like 2TB of cloud storage, seamless integration of Gemini across Gmail, Docs, and other workspace applications, among other features.