Google made a major announcement yesterday, streamlining all of its AI efforts under a single name — Gemini. This means that Google’s AI chatbot, formerly known as Bard, is now referred to as Gemini, and the tech giant has also introduced its standalone Android app.
Google's Consolidation of AI Efforts
Google made a significant move by consolidating all of its AI efforts under the name Gemini. This includes renaming its AI chatbot from Bard to Gemini and launching a standalone Android app.
Clarifying the Fate of Assistant's AI Services
Last year, Google announced its plan to enhance Android's default Assistant with AI capabilities through a service called "Assistant with Bard." With the rebranding of Bard to Gemini, there may be uncertainty about the future of Assistant's AI services.
Google has clarified to Android Authority that the Gemini experience on Android is what Assistant with Bard was intended to provide. The company's vision of building a true AI assistant that is conversational, multimodal, and helpful remains the same.
"Now, with the incredible capabilities of Gemini, we can deliver on that vision in an even more profound and meaningful way. The technology allows us to push past the limits of what we could do before (timers, alarms, weather) to help you supercharge your ideas and collaborate directly with Google AI on your phone," said a Google spokesperson.
In essence, the functionalities envisioned for "Assistant with Bard" have now been fully integrated into Gemini for Android.
Gemini as the Default Assistant on Android
Google has already taken steps towards implementing this approach, as Gemini becomes the default Assistant on Android after downloading the app from the Play Store. However, users still have the option to switch back to the old Assistant in the settings if they prefer.
Google is confident that Gemini will power the AI capabilities of Assistant going forward, effectively retiring the "Assistant with Bard" name.
