Share this article

Google rebranded its ChatGPT-style chatbot to Gemini, enhancing its visibility across products in competition with Microsoft’s Bing chatbot. Gemini, accessible via Google’s app for iPhones, signifies its integration into user experience akin to search. Google unveiled Gemini Ultra 1.0, its powerful AI model, available globally for a subscription fee. Microsoft, in response, redesigned Copilot (now Bing chatbot) and plans to promote it during the Super Bowl.

SAN FRANCISCO — Google rebranded its ChatGPT-style chatbot to Gemini on Thursday, giving it unprecedented visibility across its products as the tech behemoth competes with Microsoft in the AI race.


The name change from Bard comes a year after the search engine giant pushed out its chatbot in a desperate attempt to catch up with Microsoft’s Bing chatbot, which was produced through a cooperation with OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT.

Since their inception, the chatbots have evolved to generate both graphics and text in response to simple queries, relying on data gathered from the internet.

Crucially, Gemini will be accessible via an easy-to-find link on the company’s Google app for iPhones, indicating that the AI chatbot is becoming an integral element of its user experience, comparable to search.

Google also announced the release of Gemini Ultra 1.0, its most powerful generative AI model to date, which would be available as an advanced chatbot in 150 countries for $20 (sh77,000) per month, although only in English.

The less powerful Gemini and Gemini Advanced applications will be available separately on Android phones and integrated into the Google app on iPhones.

For the time being, the apps are not available in Europe, with the business stating that it is still working through regulatory barriers.

Google’s announcement comes just a day after Microsoft said that it had redesigned its comparable Copilot software, which is now known as the Bing chatbot.

Microsoft announced it would air an ad during Sunday’s Super Bowl to promote the use of its Copilot standalone app.

As some reservations remain about the long-term use cases for generative AI chatbots, both Google and Microsoft promote their products’ ability to boost creativity online.