What Is Google Gemini?

Google Gemini, formerly known as Bard, is an artificial intelligence tool from Google that uses large language models to provide quick, direct answers to your questions. It draws from Google and information it has previously learned to answer questions, generate code, understand images, and more. As AI continues to expand across industries, learning to work with tools like Google Gemini can lead to rewarding opportunities. Artificial intelligence engineers in the United States, for example, earn an average annual salary of $114,040, according to Glassdoor [1].

Explore how you can use Google Gemini and leverage this powerful AI model in your studies, work, and daily life.

What is Google Gemini used for?

Google Gemini is capable of multimodal processing, which means it understands an array of different inputs and can perform a variety of tasks for you. You can use it for something as simple as asking a question or more complex jobs, such as describing a picture or summarizing an entire webpage on your screen. You can even have Gemini display information in the format of your choosing, whether that be in a chart, list, or table. 

Gemini is capable of performing more advanced tasks as well. For example, you can use Gemini to write code in programming languages such as Python, analyze files for malware, and translate live conversations between different languages. The more you use Google Gemini the smarter it gets based on the feedback you provide, which allows it to more effectively respond to your needs.

Key features of Google Gemini

Google Gemini offers several different models, each offering unique features. Take a look at a detailed breakdown of these models and their capabilities:

• Gemini 1.0 Ultra: The largest Gemini model, 1.0 Ultra, is designed for complex tasks. It supports only text inputs but can perform complex coding and mathematical reasoning. 

• Gemini 1.0 Pro: This Gemini model accepts only text as input and delivers text and code as output. It is Gemini’s best-performing model for many text-only tasks, including code generation, multi-turn text, and natural language tasks.

• Gemini 1.0 Pro Vision: Ideal for video and image understanding, Gemini 1.0 Pro Vision can turn unstructured data into structured data. It allows you to combine unstructured with structured data for larger data sets for object detection, image captioning, and more.

• Gemini 1.5 Pro: With the ability to accept text, images, video, code, audio, and PDF files as inputs, Gemini 1.5 Pro can analyze and understand a greater range of modalities, including prompts featuring over 100,000 lines of code.

• Gemini 1.5 Flash: Gemini 1.5 Flash’s strength in handling large volumes of data efficiently makes it a good option for building cost-effective applications. You can utilize 1.5 Flash for various purposes, such as summarizing, adding captions to images and videos, and pulling data from long documents and tables.

• Gemini 2.0 Flash: Compared to the 1.5 version, Gemini 2.0 Flash offers enhanced speed and additional features such as multimodal response generation and bidirectional streaming, as well as enabling audio and image outputs in addition to text.

Who uses Google Gemini?

You can find Google Gemini at work across multiple industries, helping professionals automate tasks and unlock new opportunities. Whether you're in human resources, sales, marketing, cybersecurity, or software development, Gemini's AI capabilities can support your daily workflow and drive innovation. Take a look at the following examples of how you can use Gemini in your field.

Human resources

In human resources, Google Gemini can help you with several tasks. For example, you can ask it to draft job descriptions and postings by providing it with a job title or set of skills. It can also develop interview questions, summarize candidate resumes, draft onboarding materials, and compose employee communications. 

Sales

Gemini can simplify complex technical information for customers, breaking it down into more accessible formats. You can use Gemini to brainstorm new outreach strategies, create email templates, and personalize presentations for different audiences.

Marketing

In marketing, Gemini can assist with drafting presentation outlines, creating visual content and social media posts, and customizing your presentations for specific target audiences. You can use Gemini to help write press releases, draft blog posts, and develop brand stories.

Cybersecurity

Gemini 1.5 Pro and 1.5 Flash can create reports detailing the information found within code or files to identify malware and vulnerabilities. They can also summarize suggestions for improving security, draft incident response plans, and create educational materials to train staff on best practices. 

Software development

As a developer, you can use Gemini’s Code Assist feature to improve productivity and code quality. Software developers can use Gemini with over twenty different programming languages.

Pros and cons of Google Gemini

One advantage of Google Gemini is the variety of model variants it offers, making it easy for you to choose the version that best fits your device and needs. Gemini supports a wide range of productive uses, from coding and brainstorming to image creation, email writing, and more. These features can help streamline workflows and increase productivity. 

The use of Google Gemini also presents some challenges. For example, it temporarily paused its image generation features after some users created inaccurate or inappropriate images, but Google has since added safeguards to avoid this issue. You should also be aware that, like other AI tools, outputs may sometimes reflect biases from its training data or generate information that isn't entirely accurate, known as model hallucinations. 

Is Google Gemini better than ChatGPT?

Google Gemini and ChatGPT are both advanced AI models with distinct features, and the best choice depends on your needs. Gemini stands out for its seamless integration with Google applications, including Gmail, Docs, and Drive, which can be valuable if you use those services. ChatGPT offers a broader plugin ecosystem, making it particularly appealing if you require specialized tools across various domains. However, both platforms continue to evolve with regular updates, so their capabilities may change over time.

Does Google Gemini cost money?

You can access Google Gemini for free if you’re over 18 and have a Google account. If you want to try more advanced features, you can purchase a Google One AI Premium Plan, which costs $19.99 monthly after a one-month free trial [2]. If you have a business, you can utilize Gemini features within a Google Workspace plan, which has plans ranging from $7 to $22 per user per month [3]. Eligible college students in the US may qualify to use Gemini Advanced for free through the end of finals in 2026 [4].

Explore Google Gemini and AI on Coursera

Previously known as Google Bard, Gemini is Google’s newer, more powerful AI model. If you're ready to expand your generative AI skills, you can find courses on Coursera to help you get the most out of models like Gemini. Generative AI for Everyone covers introductory concepts behind AI, while the Google Prompting Essentials course can guide you through crafting clear and effective instructions for generative AI.