Google Enhances Gemini Chatbot with Speed and Expanded Availability

In its ongoing effort to keep pace with generative AI rivals like Anthropic and OpenAI, Google has announced updates to the no-fee tier of Gemini, its AI-powered chatbot. These updates aim to enhance the platform's performance and availability.

Gemini 1.5 Flash: A Lightweight Multimodal Model

Starting Thursday, Gemini 1.5 Flash, a lightweight multimodal model announced in May, will be available on the web and mobile in 40 languages and approximately 230 countries. Google claims that Gemini 1.5 Flash offers improvements in quality and latency, with significant enhancements in reasoning and image understanding.

Cost Efficiency

Google also suggests that Gemini 1.5 Flash may be cheaper to operate on the backend. This model is a "distilled" and efficient version of Gemini 1.5 Pro, designed for "narrow" and "high-frequency" generative AI workloads, making it more cost-effective while boosting performance.

Expanded Context Window 

Google is expanding Gemini's context window to 32,000 tokens, equivalent to roughly 24,000 words or 48 pages of text. A larger context window allows the model to summarize and reason over longer text snippets and files, improving the chatbot's ability to retain and reference recent conversations.

File Uploads for All Users

Previously, uploading files for analysis was a feature exclusive to Gemini Advanced, available through Google’s $20-per-month Google One AI Premium Plan. However, Google will soon enable file uploads from Google Drive and local devices for all Gemini users, allowing for tasks such as creating practice questions from study guides and analyzing data files.

Combatting AI Hallucinations

To address AI hallucinations, where the model generates false information, Google is previewing a feature that displays links to related web content beneath certain Gemini-generated answers. This feature aims to provide users with verifiable sources and context for the generated content.

Previous Measures

Earlier this year, Google introduced a "double check" feature in Gemini to highlight statements corroborated or contradicted by other online sources. The new related content links further this effort by making it clear where Gemini is drawing its information from.

Expansion and New Features

Google is expanding Gemini's availability in the European Economic Area (EEA), U.K., and Switzerland, with new language support including French, Polish, and Spanish. Users can access Gemini in Messages by selecting it as a chat partner.

Teen-Focused Features

The Gemini mobile app is being launched in more countries, with expanded access for teenagers globally. Google introduced a teen-focused experience in June, allowing students to sign up with their school accounts. This rollout will now be available to teens in all countries where Gemini is accessible to adults.

Safeguards for Teen Users

Google is implementing additional policies and safeguards to protect teen users, although specifics were not provided. A new onboarding process tailored for teens and an "AI literacy guide" are also being introduced to help teens use AI responsibly.