The AI chatbot Google Bard is currently one of the fastest evolving apps in the Google collection – and it looks like the branding will evolve too, with Google changing the name to Gemini.
This comes from the developer Dylan Roussel (through Engadget), who has apparently found a list of updates coming to Google Bard. it’s dated next Wednesday, February 7, and the main change is that Bard is being renamed Gemini.
Google Gemini is the name of the next-generation AI model that Bard is currently powering, so in a way it makes sense to get rid of one of the monikers. Also notable: there will apparently also be a special Android app, at least in the US.
Gemini for Android will integrate with apps like Gmail, Google Maps and YouTube, according to the update text. If you’re using an iPhone, Google says you can try out Gemini through the existing Google app for iOS.
Google has added a new changelog for Bard, and — oh boy — it’s a big one! Availability in Canada is great! That said, I don’t really understand the limitations of the app. That’s disappointing as someone who lives in Europe. Oh by the way… https://t.co/xM2snHVYJ9 is real. pic.twitter.com/QKgKrRjmM4February 3, 2024
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Another tidbit from this leak is that a paid subscription level will be introduced called Gemini Advanced. This has been rumored before and means that Google will rival OpenAI and ChatGPT in having both free and paid AI bot levels.
Speaking of previous rumors, tipster @AssembleDebug (through Android Police) has found a contact page for Bard (soon to be Gemini) in Google Messages – the idea is that you can chat with the AI just like you would with any other contact.
Bard AI bot contact information page in Google Messages. In previous beta updates it was empty and only the logo and name were shown.#Google #Android #AI #GoogleMessages #Bard pic.twitter.com/ADmlNSKNnFFebruary 2, 2024
Tips about this integration first surfaced last month, and it’s something that apps like Snapchat have already done. It seems like most apps will include Google’s AI Assistant somewhere.
All of this has yet to be confirmed, but it looks like we could be in for one of the biggest weeks yet for Google’s AI projects. As for Apple, it is expected to unveil its own generative AI efforts later this year with the launch of iOS 18.