Google’s Goal to Make Gemini AI ‘Helpful for Everyone’ Is Ambitious
At today’s Made By Google Event, Google unveiled new AI integration to Android OS that lets users accomplish tasks just by talking.
Google is one of the companies at the forefront of pushing AI into the casual tech user’s daily life. At today’s event, Google heavily featured new updates to Gemini that allows users to complete tasks conversationally.
“People love the new Gemini assistant,” says Jenny Blackburn, VP of UX, Gemini experiences, and Google Assistant. “Because it can help… from writing to brainstorming to working through a tough problem, even taking action using your favorite Google Apps.”
In a blog post, Google highlights several daily functions that Gemini can assist with. On new Pixel 9 phones, Pixel Studio uses generative AI and a new Auto Frame tool to assist with recomposing photos. Gemini can provide customized weather reports based on information the user is regularly checking, like UV index or air quality. Additionally, Gemini is can create lists based on suggestions, or even dig through information in photos, screenshots, and videos.
During the Made By Google event, several of these features were highlighted in live demos. However, the results were a mixed bag. In the first demo, the host took a photo of an artist’s concert schedule though multiple cities, and asked Gemini to cross reference his calendar and check if he will be free when the artist is in San Fransisco. After multiple error messages, Gemini eventually completed the task.
Other live demos were more successful. One presenter was watching a YouTube video of a food and travel vlogger, and asked Gemini to create a list of the different food items featured in a video. After a few moments, Gemini populated a list of the different items, which the presenter then turned into a shopping list.
A focus of Google’s highlights is Gemini’s ability to learn and understand a user’s casual conversation habits, as well as interacting with the user in a conversational nature. A third demo focused on asking Gemini to put together a K-Pop playlist based on “the vibe,” as they described, of the host’s suggestion.
The marquee new feature coming to Android is Gemini Live — where Google claims users can have an ongoing, free-flowing conversation with Gemini. After selecting one of several voice models, the user can talk conversationally with Gemini, and brainstorm new ideas.
The conversation demo during the event was pretty impressive. The host and Gemini brainstormed examples of a science experiment that could have a “magical vibe.”
However, as smartphone AI assistants acquire new skills — and at some point, a price tag — it’s not obvious how much users will care or whether they will be willing to pay. Per survey data, sentiments toward AI aren’t especially positive or enthusiastic, despite smartphone makers like Google, Samsung, and Apple investing heavily in AI technology.
Google is doing its best to show its users that Gemini AI is not only just helpful, but that it can become a significant part of their smartphone experience. Google said today that Gemini makes AI useful, but there’s still a gap between AI being “useful” and it being heavily used.
Gemini Live will be available in English starting today, for Google’s Gemini Advanced premium subscribers.
Image credits: Google.
