Google is stepping up its AI game with a fresh update to Gemini, its chatbot platform. The tech giant has introduced Gemini with personalization, an experimental feature designed to tailor responses based on users’ online habits and interactions across Google apps.
According to Dave Citron, product director for Gemini, the goal is to make AI feel more like a helpful assistant that anticipates user needs rather than just a tool. Early testers have found this feature useful for brainstorming ideas and getting recommendations customized to their interests.
How Does Gemini with Personalization Work?
This new capability allows Gemini to access users’ activities across Google Search, YouTube, and other services to deliver more relevant answers. The AI can reference recent searches, preferences, and past interactions to provide tailored suggestions.
For example:
- Looking for restaurant recommendations? Gemini can suggest options based on your recent food-related searches.
- Planning a vacation? It can recommend destinations similar to those you’ve previously researched.
- Exploring new hobbies? Gemini can curate ideas based on your browsing history.
This feature will first integrate with Google Search before expanding to other services like Google Photos and YouTube over the next few months.
AI Assistants Are Becoming More Personalized
Google’s approach follows a growing trend in AI development – customization. Competitors like OpenAI and Amazon are also working on ways to make their chatbots more intuitive and responsive.
OpenAI’s ChatGPT now includes direct code editing on macOS, while Amazon is revamping Alexa with advanced AI capabilities.
Google’s personalized approach is powered by its Gemini 2.0 Flash Thinking Experimental AI model, which evaluates whether personal data can enhance an answer before using it.
Privacy Concerns: Is Your Data Safe?
While personalized AI has clear benefits, it also raises privacy concerns. Users may worry about how much of their personal data Gemini can access and whether sensitive information could be exposed.
To address this, Google is making Gemini’s personalization feature opt-in only. Here’s how it works:
- Users must give permission before Gemini can access their search history and other Google data.
- A clear banner will indicate when personalization is active, with an easy option to disconnect.
- Under-18 users are excluded from using this feature.
Google emphasizes that Gemini will only access user data when explicitly allowed and that Web & App Activity settings must be enabled for it to work.
When and Where Can You Use It?
Gemini with personalization rolls out starting Thursday for users on the web, except for Google Workspace and Google for Education customers. It will gradually become available on mobile and will support over 40 languages in most countries.
However, it will not be available in the European Economic Area, Switzerland, or the U.K. due to regulatory concerns.
Will It Stay Free Forever?
For now, the feature is free, but that might change. Google hinted at possible usage limits in the future, suggesting that some advanced personalization features could become part of a paid plan.
New Upgrades: What Else is Google Adding to Gemini?
To make Gemini even more appealing, Google is rolling out additional updates:
1. Advanced Features for Paid Users
Subscribers to Gemini Advanced ($20 per month) will get access to:
- A standalone 2.0 Flash Thinking Experimental model with file attachments.
- Integrations with Google Calendar, Notes, and Tasks.
- A 1-million-token context window (processing about 750,000 words at once).
2. Enhanced Deep Research Capabilities
Google is upgrading Deep Research, a feature that compiles reports from web searches. Now, it will:
- Show the AI’s step-by-step reasoning.
- Use Gemini 2.0 Flash Thinking Experimental for more detailed reports.
- Be free to try for all users, with higher usage limits for premium subscribers.
3. Freebies for All Users
- Gems: Topic-focused customizable chatbots that were once exclusive to paid users will now be free for everyone.
- Google Photos Integration: Users will soon be able to search for images within their Google Photos using Gemini.
Is This the Future of AI Chatbots?
Google’s move to personalize Gemini is a strategic play to keep users engaged and differentiate its AI from competitors. With the tech world racing toward more intuitive AI assistants, the balance between customization and privacy will be crucial.
Would you opt-in for personalized AI assistance, or does it feel like a privacy risk? The future of AI chatbots depends on how well companies like Google can strike the right balance.
