Google (GOOG, GOOGL) is bringing big changes to its generative AI bot Bard, rebranding the software as Gemini to match the underlying AI model that powers it and announcing a new premium version for consumers.
Gemini Advanced is a paid version of the company’s bot that gives users access to Google’s largest AI model, Gemini Ultra, for $19.99 per month as part of the company’s Google One AI Premium plan.
In addition to access to Gemini Ultra, the subscription includes 2TB of Google Cloud storage and, in a future update, adds Gemini in Google Docs, Gmail, Slides, and Sheets.
“What you're seeing is really a phase of maturation for Google's holistic approach to AI,” explained Google senior product director Jack Krawczyk. “And Gemini is really the most direct way to access it.”
Google launched Bard last March as an AI platform that allows users to type in text prompts and get replies as text, code, and images. In December, Google debuted its Gemini AI model, with more advanced multimodal capabilities, including the ability to recognize text, images, video, and code, and began running Bard on the software.
Now Google is fully rebranding Bard as Gemini as the company seeks to build out an ecosystem around the platform. Gemini is available in three versions: Gemini Nano, designed to run on smartphones; Gemini Pro, for businesses; and Gemini Ultra, for high-end AI applications like the Gemini chatbot.
As an example of Gemini’s improved capabilities, Krawczyk offered a situation in which a user got a flat tire on their car. A person could then take a photo of the tire, upload it to Gemini, and ask how to change the tire. The bot would then provide step-by-step instructions for how to put on a doughnut.
Android users will be able to access Gemini via the new Gemini app through the Google Play store or by pulling up the Google Assistant and opting into using Gemini rather than Google Assistant.
If you want to go back to using Google Assistant, you can’t opt out of Gemini.
If you’ve got an iPhone, you’ll be able to use Gemini via the Google app and use the toggle at the top of the screen to switch over to the bot. On the web you can go to Gemini’s website.
At first, Gemini will be available in the US in English and then launch in Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Africa.
While the rebranding of Bard to Gemini is important, it’s the availability of a paid version that is most intriguing. It serves as a new revenue source for Google, as it looks to monetize its increased investment in generative AI.
The move also puts Google’s consumer offering into direct competition with Microsoft’s (MSFT) Copilot Pro AI bot for consumers. That platform also costs $19.99.
Google and Microsoft already compete in the enterprise space via their respective generative AI bots, which they attach to their productivity suits. Adding the consumer edition sets up yet another battleground for the AI giants to square off.
Daniel Howley is the tech editor at Yahoo Finance. He's been covering the tech industry since 2011. You can follow him on Twitter @DanielHowley.
Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance