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Google was late to the AI game. The company released Bard in early 2023, behind ChatGPT and what would eventually become Microsoft Copilot. Bard was lackluster at first, but it has since had a major glow up to become “Gemini”—and Google Assistant is in its sights.
What Is Google Gemini? Is It Different From Bard?
Google Gemini is amultimodal, general, and flexible AI model that can understand and reason across different types of information, such as text, code, audio, image, and video. It is optimized for three sizes: Ultra, Pro, and Nano.
Google Bard was the previous nameof Gemini before it wasrebranded in February 2024.Bard was an AI chatbotthat used a lightweight and optimized version of LaMDA, a large language model that can generate natural and engaging responses to open-ended queries. Bard could also access the internet to leverage Google search for its responses.
The main difference between Gemini and Bard is that Gemini is more capable and advanced than Bard, as it uses the Ultra model, the largest and most state-of-the-art AI model from Google. And while Bard was only accessible through the web, Gemini is available onAndroidandiPhoneand has a web version.
There’s also a premium version called Gemini Advanced, which unlocks additional features of Ultra. We’re talking about expanded abilities with multimodal inputs, more interactive coding tools, deeper data analysis, and more. You can access Gemini Advanced for $20/month after a free two-month trial as part of Google One’s new AI Premium Plan.
What Can Google Gemini Do As Google Assistant Replacement?
When you install the Gemini Android app, you will be prompted to replace Google Assistant with Gemini. This will be a complete replacement. In other words, if you opt-in when you install the app and then say “Hey Google” to your phone, hold down the power button, swipe in from the lower corner of the display, or otherwise perform a trigger that would usually launch Assistant, you’ll get the Gemini overlay instead. Once you install the Gemini app, it serves as your personal AI assistant. You can chat with it to get help on several kinds of everyday tasks:
Then, you’re able to ask it to generate text or answers based on what’s visible on your screen. For instance, if you’re reading an article, you can ask Gemini to summarize it or ask questions about the article.
Gemini is always learning and improving, so you can expect new features and updates in the future.
Google Assistant Tasks That Google Gemini Can’t Do (Yet)
Gemini has some limitations compared to Google Assistant. Unlike Google Assistant, which can perform basic tasks without an internet connection, such as setting alarms, playing music, or making phone calls, Google Gemini requires a constant and stable internet connection to function. This means that if you are in a remote area or your network is down, you won’t be able to use Google Gemini. In addition, Gemini doesn’t currently support any media integrations. So you won’t be able to ask it to play podcasts, news broadcasts, radio stations, or music from services like Spotify.
Gemini also can’t set reminders, a basic but useful skill Assistant offers. So, if you tell Gemini to remind you about an appointment next Tuesday, it apologetically tells you it doesn’t yet have that capability. Additionally, Gemini doesn’t support Routines, which allow Assistant to perform multiple smart home actions with a single voice command. If you tell Gemini to “start movie night,” it won’t know how to dim the lights and boot up the TV like Assistant can. Automating multistep tasks will require you to switch to Google Assistant to do that.
Lastly, Gemini lacks access to Google’s real-time translation feature, Interpreter mode. So you can have free-flowing discussions with Gemini, but it can’t act as an intermediary for conversations in different languages, as Assistant’s Interpreter mode can.
The good news is Google Assistant can “help” Gemini with some of these tasks still. If you’re using Gemini as the default digital assistant on Android, it will essentially fall back to Assistant for timers and alarms, controlling smart home devices, on-device actions like turning on Bluetooth, broadcasting to smart speakers, and reading pages out loud.
While these limitations may be frustrating if you are a longtime Google Assistant user, they stem from the fact that Gemini represents an entirely different, more advanced AI architecture. As Gemini matures, hopefully, its capabilities will expand to close the gaps with Assistant and combine conversational intelligence with Google’s services. But for now, you may need to switch between the two for certain tasks.
How to Use Google Gemini AI
Can’t wait to try Gemini? Good news—you don’t have to! you may use it now through theweb versionor bydownloading the Gemini app on your Android phone. If you use an iPhone or iPad,you can use Gemini through the regular Google app.
Gemini shows Google’s ongoing investment in AI, and it’s a shift from just answering questions to having a two-way chat. Google Assistant is still around, but Gemini will probably become the main smart service across Google’s products. So Gemini isn’t replacing Google Assistant—it’s taking it to the next level. This is just the start of a more natural, conversational Google experience.
