Google caught the tech community off guard a few weeks ago with the launch of Gemini. No, I’m not referring to his LLM of the same name, which was announced in December. That means Google has officially relaunched his Bard with an entirely new Android app that will replace the Assistant on your installed devices. This represents a pretty big change on Google’s part, and while it’s clear there’s a lot of work left to do, insisting on a future where all of his Android devices, regardless of manufacturer, will be equipped with AI. It will be.
Most of Android Police’s editors have spent February reviewing Gemini’s features, but no one has spent more time with Gemini than our own Taylor Kern. His impressions after two weeks of use reflect what he thought at launch. Gemini is both impressive and underwhelming, at least in its current state. The Assistant can also return answers to requests that it could not complete, such as recipe suggestions or step-by-step instructions for completing basic home improvement tasks, but it may also provide incorrect information or provide incorrect information. Sometimes you may not be able to activate your smart home device.
Of course, this week Google also had to apologize for Gemini. problematic Stop the depiction of certain human groups and stop the ability to produce these images altogether. Creating ethnically diverse Nazis isn’t a particularly good look for an AI-powered bot, but it’s especially embarrassing when Google is betting so much of itself on Gemini (both the app and everything around it). That’s it. It’s true that the company’s approach to AI has followed the old adage of “move fast and break things” over the past 18 months, but if you’re still faced with stories like this, that’s a good thing. It is difficult to say that it is.
That black eye aside, I’m having a great time with my Gemini. In recent years, I haven’t relied on an assistant. The experience degraded to the point where I wanted to perform operations manually, unless I was driving. My experience with Gemini matches Taylor’s very closely, sometimes exceptional and sometimes very bad. I wouldn’t be surprised if most Android Police readers find themselves in a similar situation. Just as I fully expect Google to make major improvements in Gemini throughout the remainder of his 2024. After all, it’s just a little bit of I/O. 2 months left.
Either way, it’s great to see Gemini getting into more people’s hands. Gemini is available on almost every Android device in over 150 countries, except for foldable devices that, for some reason, aren’t made by Samsung or Google. However, I’m curious to see how many Android Police readers have tried out the smartphone experience since its launch. Have you left Gemini as your default virtual assistant or are you waiting for something a little more feature-rich?
