Google renames AI chatbot Bard to Gemini and launches paid version to challenge Microsoft and OpenAI

Google has announced that it will rename its AI chatbot Bard to Gemini. At the same time, Google also launched a paid version of Gemini with stronger reasoning capabilities to better compete with Microsoft (414.11, 0.06, 0.01%) and OpenAI. Google said U.S. customers can now access Gemini Advanced, which includes the more powerful Ultra 1.0 AI model, for $19.99 per month. Subscribers, meanwhile, will get 2TB of cloud storage (normally $9.99 per month) and will soon be able to use Gemini with Gmail and Google Office. Google Bard product lead Jack Krawczyk said cloud storage, Gmail and other integrations will allow Google's subscription services to align with the way people work. So far, Gemini Advanced is available in English in 150 countries, Krawczyk said. Next week will see expansion into international markets, including Asia Pacific, Latin America and other regions. Users can get a two-month subscription trial for free. (Sina Technology)