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Gemini isGoogles competitor in the race for AI supremacy.
A rival to the likes ofChatGPT, its a chatbot underpinned by a powerful AI model.
Available online and through smartphone apps,Geminican assist with everything from web searches to image generation.
It also integrates into a number of Google cloud services for contextual assistance.
Gemini is free to use and improving all the time.
This article was correct as of February 2025.
AI tools are updated regularly and it is possible that some features have changed since this article was written.
Some features may also only be available in certain countries.
What is Google Gemini?
Gemini is the collective name for several components which together make up Googles AI offering.
All of these are underpinned by a large language model, which was released as Gemini in December 2023.
The companyschatbotwas previously called Bard, but this was brought under the Gemini umbrella inFebruary 2024.
Theres also Gemini for Workspace, which leverages the AI model to enhance cloud-based productivity.
There are several versions of this model.
Theres also Gemini Nano for on-gear AI processing.
What can you use Google Gemini for?
For most users, Gemini is best seen as an alternative toChatGPT.
As an AI chatbot, it can provide reasoned, context-aware responses to natural language prompts.
Its able to answer questions, write code and summarize articles.
It can also be used to generate images from simple descriptions using Googles Imagen 3 text-to-image model.
It will integrate with other Google apps, pulling in data from the likes of Gmail andGoogle Maps.
For Android users,Gemini can also replace Google Assistant.
Recently, Google added the ability for all users toshare documents with Geminifor analysis and feedback.
Certain Workspace users can also access Deep Research, an in-depth reporting tool.
What cant you use Google Gemini for?
It will make a run at steer clear of copyright infringement or offensive material, for example.
There are also limits to the depth of some of its abilities.
While it can generate code, for example, it isnt a complete software development tool.
Its been known to hallucinate, returning incorrect or invented information.
As a result, it cant be used as a definitive research tool.
How much does Google Gemini cost?
The standard version of Gemini is free to use online and through mobile apps.
There is also a paid tier available, calledGemini Advanced.
Where can you use Google Gemini?
Gemini can be accessed online using almost any online window, by pointing it togemini.google.com.
Head there to interact with Gemini as a web-based chatbot.
Gemini is also available as a smartphone app foriOSandAndroid.
These apps have the same functionality as the web interface, plus the option togo Live with Gemini.
Is Google Gemini any good?
In ourhands-on review of Geminion an Android smartphone, we found it a genuinely useful alternative to Google Assistant.
We found its answers clear, succinct and creative.
Theres still room for improvement.
Using it on your smartphone unlocks more features than the web-based version.
Accuracy is improving, but results still need to be cross-checked.
