After plenty of tepid experimentation, Google is finally rolling out its Gemini Ultra 1.0 language model. This is the most advanced LLM in Google’s arsenal, as it reportedly outscores GPT-4 in several benchmarks. Google will also apply Gemini branding across its suite of AI products, specifically Bard and Duet.
Going forward, the Bard AI and Duet AI will be known as Gemini. These products are still free to use, and they still rely on Gemini Pro 1.0 as their underlying AI model. But there are some key upgrades here, including a more polished web interface, a long-awaited Android app, and a broad rollout of the recent image generation feature. Android users gain some extra Google Assistant functionality in the Bard app, and Gemini will slowly roll out to iPhones through the basic Google app.
We’re more interested in Gemini Advanced—a brand-new product that leverages the Gemini Ultra 1.0 model. Customers who are willing to pay $20 a month for the Google One AI Premium plan gain access to Gemini Advanced, which is more capable than the standard Gemini AI, particularly in the areas of comprehension, reasoning, and coding. It can also have longer conversations than the free Gemini model. Gemini Advanced is effectively Google’s version of ChatGPT Plus.
Anyone who regularly uses the standard Gemini model may benefit from Gemini Advanced. It can parse difficult problems, tutor users on new topics, and develop code for web or software applications. But this is still a fairly bare-bones product. Google says that Gemini Advanced will quickly gain new features, including document analysis, which is already a key feature of ChatGPT Plus.
As for the price—well, $20 a month sounds like a lot of money, but the Google One AI Premium membership can be shared with five people and includes 2TB of cloud storage. It also unlocks new features in Google Photos and Workspace, and it includes a free VPN. That’s a ton of perks for the same price as ChatGPT Plus.
You can install the free Gemini app on Android today. Gemini functionality will come to iOS over the next few weeks, though it’ll be tucked in the basic Google app. Those who want to test Gemini Advanced must join Google One AI Premium for $20 a month—thankfully, your first two months are free.
Source: Google
