Google is still undecided on the name of its new AI-powered digital assistant, which was announced last year along with the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro smartphones. The assistant, which was initially called Assistant with Bard, is now being referred to as Gemini in the latest beta version of the Google app, according to 9to5Google.
The report claims that Google has replaced all mentions of Bard with Gemini in the strings and user interfaces of the Google app beta (version 15.4.31.29), suggesting that the company is considering a name change for its upcoming assistant. Gemini is the name of the generative AI model that powers the assistant, as well as other AI tools from Google. Gemini is described by Google’s CEO, Sundar Pichai, as the company’s “most capable and general model yet, with state-of-the-art performance across many leading benchmarks.”
The report also reveals that Google is planning to rename the premium version of the assistant, which was previously called Bard Advanced, to Gemini Advanced. This seems to be a confusing move, as it could lead to a complicated branding scheme. Gemini Advanced will be available in three different sizes (Nano, Pro, Ultra), each offering different levels of functionality and customization. The report speculates that the final name of the assistant could end up being something like “Gemini Advanced powered by Gemini Ultra,” which sounds rather unwieldy.
It is unusual for a company to name a product after the model that runs it, instead of giving it a distinctive and memorable name. However, Google may be still experimenting with different options, as the launch of the new assistant is not imminent. The report cites recent leaks that indicate that the assistant, whether it is called Bard or Gemini or something else, could be part of the next Pixel feature drop, which is expected to happen in March.