Google's Gemini now available as app for Android users in India

Google on Tuesday (June 18) said its AI assistant Gemini is now available as an app for Android smartphone users in India with support for English, Hindi and eight other Indian languages.

For iPhone users, access to Gemini will be rolled out through the Google app over the next few weeks, according to a blog post by Amar Subramanya, vice- president, engineering, Gemini Experiences.

"Gemini, your AI assistant from Google, has had an exciting first year in India... From students to developers and many other curious minds, people in India are embracing Gemini's capabilities to enhance their productivity, learning, and creativity in everyday life," Subramanya wrote.

Gemini Advanced in India

Additionally, users of Gemini Advanced in India will now be able to access features of Gemini 1.5 Pro, Google's latest next-gen AI (Artificial Intellegence) model.

The expanded capacity of Gemini Advanced will allow users to upload multiple large documents and emails for quick summaries, feedback, and actionable insights.

"As always, privacy is a top priority. Gemini keeps your files private to you, and they’re not used to train our models," Subramanya added.

Google said the Gemini feature will also be added in Google Messages on select devices.

What Gemini AI app allows

The Gemini AI app allows users to interact through typing, talking, or adding images to receive assistance.

Users can ask for image captions, get help on Google Maps, set timers, make calls, and set reminders.

"This marks a significant step forward in our journey to build a truly conversational, multimodal, and helpful AI assistant," said Google.

How to get Gemini app?

Android users can download the Gemini app from the Play Store or opt-in through Google Assistant. You can activate Gemini by corner swiping, pressing the power button on select phones, or saying "Hey Google".

On iOS, Gemini will be available through the Google app in the coming weeks. Users can tap the Gemini toggle and start using the AI assistant to enhance creativity and productivity.

Google is also integrating Gemini into Google Messages, allowing users to draft messages, brainstorm ideas, or plan events within the app. Initially, this feature will be available in English on select devices.

Developed by Google DeepMind, Gemini (formerly Bard) is designed to understand and respond to a wide range of inputs, offering advanced conversational abilities. It seamlessly integrates with Google services like Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Calendar, enabling users to perform complex tasks with simple commands.

For instance, you can ask Gemini to summarise emails, schedule events, or analyse documents in Google Drive.

Controversies

The generative AI platform faced controversies earlier this year, over its "fascist Modi" responses, and anti-white bias.

In February this year, a journalist had shared a screenshot in which a question was asked to Gemini about Modi. In response, Gemini made uncharitable comments about him but was circumspect when the same query was posed about Trump and Zelenskyy.

Google had then said it worked quickly to address the issue and conceded that the chatbot "may not always be reliable" in responding to certain prompts related to current events and political topics.

Union minister's warning 

The erstwhile minister of state for IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar had warned Google that the people of India "are not to be experimented on" with unreliable platforms and algorithms and "ensuring safety and trust are legal obligation of platforms".

The former Union minister in a latest post on social media platform X on Monday said, "LLMs "bullshit content" comes from most models being trained on content/datasets that are to politely use the phrase - NOT quality assured. That's why you have the embarrassing sight of billion-dollar Gemini/ChatGPT on many occasions spewing nonsense. Garbage in, Garbage out is an old adage in programming especially if ur depending on scraping the internet."

(With agency inputs)