Google is set to launch the next generation of its AI models, Gemini, this fall, The Information reported on Tuesday. The product which is a group of LLMs will power Google’s AI chatbot Bard, and some of company’s other products – including its enterprise apps like Google Docs and Slides. It would be arguably company’s biggest AI launch and is expected to give the technology company the ability to build products it competitors can’t, an anonymous source told The Information.
The report claimed that in addition to generating text, Gemini would also be able to create contextual images, and eventually enable users to perform complicated tasks like analyzing a flow chart or controlling a software with their voice. After launching its own Gemini-powered products, Google also plans to make it available to app developers through Google Cloud by the end of the year.
Google had first talked about Gemini at Google I/O 2023 in May. The company’s CEO Sundar Pichai had said that the model was in training, “Gemini was created from the ground up to be multimodal, highly efficient at tool and API integrations and built to enable future innovations, like memory and planning. While still early, we’re already seeing impressive multimodal capabilities not seen in prior models. Once fine-tuned and rigorously tested for safety, Gemini will be available at various sizes and capabilities.”
Google has so far lagged behind in the race of AI with OpenAI emerging as the clear leader, thanks to the breakout success of it AI chatbot ChatGPT. What has also been evidently different about OpenAI is its speed of execution. They’ve been shipping feature after feature and are reportedly working on many more to make sure their products stay ahead of all their competitors.
But Gemini may change things for the Google. The product is being built by two of company’s large AI team which were merged by CEO Sundar Pichai earlier this year; Google Brain and DeepMind. The team includes several leaders and experts including company’s principal scientist Paul Barham.
Since the end of 2022, Google’s co-founder Sergey Brin, who has become more active in the company’s AI efforts, is one of the most important members of the Gemini team. This highlights how important Gemini is. With Google losing talent to competitors like OpenAI, Brin is focusing on bolstering Google’s AI research capabilities.
In spite of the stellar team that’s working on Gemini, it would be difficult to draw any conclusions until seeing the product in action but if nothing else, it proves (once again) how serious Google is about building and deploying AI in its products.
