As you know, Google Assistant is being phased out. Well, at least the guts of it.
Late last year, Google added AI capabilities from chatbot Bard to Google Assistant, allowing the virtual helper to understand images and tap into data such as emails and documents. The company is now offering users the option of replacing the AI model that powers Google Assistant's conversational skills with Gemini, Google's new family of GenAI technologies.
Users will soon be able to use the new Gemini-powered Google Assistant via the new Gemini app for Android devices (replacing the existing Google Assistant app) and the updated Google app on iOS (coming in the coming weeks). You will be able to access it. experience. It will be mobile-only. Google Assistant devices such as Nest and Home speakers and displays won't see the changes yet.
The experience will come in the form of an overlay that acts as a front end to the Gemini model and provides contextual recommendations and suggestions, Google Assistant Vice President Sissie Hsiao told TechCrunch during a press conference.
“With this overlay, you can do some really interesting things with Gemini,” she said. “For example, you can generate a caption based on a photo you've already taken behind the overlay. You may be reading an article, but viewing the overlay not only helps you understand the article more deeply, but also You can ask questions about the articles you see.
In fact, the Gemini-powered assistant (which you can summon with a corner swipe, power button tap, or “Hey Google” hotword, depending on your device) can accept images as well as text and voice commands. . For example, if you upload a photo of your plant with the instructions, “I just bought this plant. Please give me tips and YouTube videos to help me care for it,” the Gemini-powered assistant will do its best to honor your request.
If you've tried the Gemini model on the web via Bard, you know that Gemini can perform a variety of GenAI tasks. And that's no different with Assistant integration. During the onboarding flow, Google says, “Help me craft a text response to a friend who's stressed out at work,'' and “Here are some ideas to surprise your concert-loving friend on her birthday.'' “Please tell me something,” and “Help me take something in.” are some examples of prompts. Increasing plant-based options in my diet. ” As on the web, the Gemini assistant can also create images, but it is unclear which model is doing the generation. Bard previously tapped his Imagen 2 for this purpose.
As you might expect, conversations with the Gemini-powered assistant on mobile carry over to the Gemini-powered experience on the web. And vice versa, if you're signed in to the same Google Account in both locations.
If for some reason you don't like the Gemini-powered Assistant experience, you can always switch to the older model from the menu screen in the Assistant app on Android and the Google app on iOS.
Now, the Gemini model isn't completely replacing the older model that powers Google Assistant, at least for now. Features like quick phrases that let you skip saying “OK Google” for certain tasks continue to use the old model. The same goes for features related to setting timers, making calls, and controlling smart home devices. Additionally, Google notes in the aforementioned settings menu that even if the Gemini model is selected as the default model for Assistant, Assistant-integrated apps such as Google Maps may continue to use the older model.
It may frustrate some long-time Google Assistant users that the Gemini Ultra, the most powerful of the Gemini models, doesn't offer Assistant for free. This and the capabilities it brings, including better reasoning, coding, and instruction-following skills, are behind the new product Gemini Advanced, which is part of the Google One AI Premium plan, a new $20 per month subscription. The free Assistant, powered by Gemini, leverages the less capable Gemini Pro, which received only moderate reviews when it was released on Bard in December.
Google is positioning the Google One AI Premium Plan (an expansion of the existing Google One program, initially available with a two-month free trial) as the only way to access the latest and greatest GenAI features through Assistant. There is. Users must maintain a subscription to receive future Gemini Ultra updates, including expanded multimodal features, more interactive coding features, and deeper data analysis capabilities.
Even better, the AI Premium plan comes with 2 TB of storage and will soon bring Gemini-powered features to Gmail, Google Docs, Google Slides, Google Sheets, and more. However, it is doubtful whether it will be enough to appease the Google Assistant's users who perceive the AI Premium plan as an effort to charge for updates to a previously free model.
The new Gemini-powered assistant is available in English starting today in the US. Starting next week, it will be available in more regions and in Japanese and Korean.