Just Teach Me AI

Meet the tools · 4 min read

What is Gemini?

Google's AI assistant, and the one most likely to show up inside things you already use. What it is, where it lives, and how it compares.

Gemini is the AI assistant made by Google. If ChatGPT is the one everybody has heard of and Claude is the one writers talk about, Gemini is the one you may already be using without having chosen it, because Google has built it into Search, Gmail, Android phones, Google Docs and much of the rest of its empire.

A short history

Google researchers invented the "transformer" design that every modern chatbot is built on, back in 2017. Despite that head start, Google was caught off guard when ChatGPT arrived in late 2022 and rushed out its own chatbot, called Bard, in early 2023. Bard had a rocky start. In early 2024 Google renamed it Gemini, after its new family of models, and it has improved steadily since.

Like the others, Google numbers its models (Gemini 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3 and so on) and offers them in sizes with names like Flash (fast and cheap) and Pro (more capable). The app uses whatever is current for your plan.

Where you will find it

This is Gemini's defining feature. It is not just an app; it is spread across Google's products.

  • The Gemini app and website (gemini.google.com): the straightforward chatbot experience, like ChatGPT or Claude.
  • Google Search. The "AI Overview" that now appears at the top of many search results is powered by Gemini, and there is an "AI Mode" for conversational searching.
  • Gmail and Google Docs. Draft an email, summarise a thread, rewrite a paragraph, all from inside the app you are already in.
  • Android phones. On recent phones, Gemini has replaced the Google Assistant. Hold the power button and talk to it.
  • Google Workspace for businesses and schools, where it can be switched on across an organisation.
  • Chrome, YouTube, Google Maps, Google Photos and others, in various forms.

If you already use Google for email, documents and your phone, Gemini is the assistant that requires the least effort to adopt, because it is already there.

What it is like to use

Open the app or website: text box, type, reply. Beyond that, Gemini can:

  • Search the web natively and cite sources. Because it is Google, its web search integration is particularly strong.
  • Read your Google stuff (with permission): "Find the flight confirmation in my Gmail and add it to my calendar."
  • Handle images, documents and video. Upload a photo or PDF and ask about it. It is notably good with video.
  • Talk out loud in a natural voice conversation ("Gemini Live").
  • Make images, and in some plans, short videos.
  • Make things like slide decks, quizzes, and research reports, with companion tools like NotebookLM, which turns your own documents into summaries, study guides and even a podcast-style audio discussion.

What it costs

There is a free tier that covers the chatbot and the basic features, and it is generous.

The paid subscription is called Google AI Pro (around $20 a month), with a much more expensive Ultra tier above it. Paying gets you the best models, higher limits, more of the creative tools, and Gemini inside Gmail and Docs on personal accounts. It is bundled with extra Google Drive storage, which for some people is the real reason to subscribe.

Strengths

  • Integration. Nothing else can read your inbox, your calendar and your documents so easily. For a Google household this is a big deal.
  • Web search and current information. Strong, well-sourced, and fast.
  • Multimedia. Good with images and unusually good with video and audio.
  • Free tier value. You get a lot without paying.

Weaknesses

  • Same hallucination problem as everyone. AI Overviews in Search have produced some famously wrong answers. Treat them as a starting point, not a verdict.
  • Interface sprawl. Because Gemini is everywhere, it can be confusing to know which Gemini you are talking to, and which features are available where.
  • Privacy trade-off. The convenience of reading your Gmail comes from giving Google's AI access to your Gmail. Many people are fine with that. Some are not. Check the settings and decide for yourself.

Is it the one you should use?

If you already live in Google's products, absolutely try it first; the convenience is real. If you want the best writing and long-document assistant, look at Claude. If you want the broadest set of features in one app, look at ChatGPT. As with the others, there is no wrong answer for a beginner, and the free tiers make trying all three painless.

Try this

Open Gemini and type:

"What's the difference between you, ChatGPT and Claude? Be honest about what you're worse at."

Then ask ChatGPT and Claude the same question. Comparing the three answers is a surprisingly good way to get a feel for each one's personality.

You have now met the three main tools. Next, the questions people actually lose sleep over, starting with the big one: your job.