Google has recently made its next-generation voice assistant, Gemini Live, available for free to all English-speaking Android users through the Gemini app. Previously, this feature was only accessible through a $20 monthly Google One AI Premium subscription. Gemini Live, which was introduced at Google I/O 2024, is known for its natural conversational abilities, allowing users to have fluid interactions with the AI. Powered by Google’s Gemini Pro 1.5 model, the AI learns and adapts to the user’s communication style over time, providing a more personalized and intuitive experience.
To access Gemini Live, Android users can simply tap the “Live” icon in the Gemini app to begin a conversation. This free version offers users a glimpse of Google’s premium AI assistant without the need for a subscription, making it the first time that non-paying customers can access the Gemini Pro 1.5 model. However, there are some limitations with the free version as it does not integrate with popular Google services like Gmail or Google Docs, which are only available to premium subscribers.
Despite the limitations, the free Gemini Live offers a similar experience to the paid version for most users, making it a valuable tool for enhancing the mobile experience with a more intelligent voice assistant. Google’s decision to offer Gemini Live for free may be aimed at gathering more training data for future AI models. While the system does not store voice recordings, transcribed conversations are used to improve the AI’s capabilities. Users are advised against sharing confidential information during conversations as human reviewers may still examine anonymized data for quality assurance.
The move to offer Gemini Live free of charge also strengthens Google’s position in the competitive AI space, putting pressure on rivals like ChatGPT’s Advanced Voice Mode, which has been gaining popularity. Currently, Gemini Live is only available for Android users, with support for iOS expected to follow soon after the release of the Gemini app on Apple’s platform. Furthermore, Google plans to expand Gemini Live to other languages beyond English in the near future, extending its reach globally.
