Google has rebranded its artificial intelligence services as Gemini, introducing a revolutionary app and subscription service. The Gemini app, named after a previously unveiled AI project, aims to redefine how people engage with technology, offering assistance in writing, interpreting text, and managing various tasks in their daily lives. This marks a significant departure from Google's earlier chatbot, Bard, as it endeavors to compete with ChatGPT from the Microsoft-backed startup OpenAI. The standalone Gemini app for Android smartphones has been released immediately, with plans to incorporate Gemini's features into the existing search app for iPhones in the coming weeks, challenging Apple's Siri voice assistant.

Google's voice assistant will continue to exist, the company anticipates Gemini becoming the primary means through which users apply AI technology to aid them in thinking, planning, and creating. Sissie Hsiao, a Google general manager overseeing Gemini, emphasized the profound impact this move will have on advancing Google's mission to organize and make information universally accessible. Initially launching in the U.S. in English, the Gemini app is set to expand to the Asia-Pacific region next week, featuring versions in Japanese and Korean. Alongside the free Gemini version, Google will offer an advanced service through the app at $20 per month. This advanced subscription, powered by the AI technology "Ultra 1.0," aims to provide tutoring, programming tips, project ideas, and content creation for users' preferred suggestions.

The Gemini Advanced subscription includes 2 terabytes of storage, typically priced at $10 per month, underlining Google's belief in the added value of the AI technology. To encourage adoption, Google is offering a free two-month trial of Gemini Advanced. This rollout aligns with the growing trend of integrating more AI into smartphones, a movement initiated by Google last fall with its latest Pixel smartphones and echoed by Samsung in its recent Galaxy smartphones. The AI competition intensifies the rivalry between Google and Microsoft, both vying for supremacy in a technology that could reshape various aspects of human life, from work to entertainment.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai expressed confidence in Gemini Advanced's capabilities, suggesting that the underlying technology, "Ultra 1.0," can outperform human experts in massive multitask language understanding across diverse subjects. However, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella asserted the superiority of ChatGPT-4, anticipating competition from Gemini. The introduction of advanced AI raises concerns about potential malfunctions and misuse, prompting regulatory efforts in Europe and the U.S. Google assures users that extensive testing has been conducted to ensure the safety and adherence to AI principles, focusing on social benefit, avoiding biases, and being accountable to people. As Gemini sets a new standard in AI services, the tech giants prepare for a transformative era with potential implications for work, entertainment, and society at large.