Google’s new AI chatbot is finally coming to Canada, albeit with a new name! Originally launched last year as “Bard,” Google has rebranded their conversational AI to “Gemini” for the Canadian launch. The delay in bringing Gemini to Canada was primarily due to Google wanting to ensure the chatbot could handle French Canadian linguistic nuances to comply with Bill C-18.
The launch of Gemini in Canada comes alongside other updates like a paid subscription for an enhanced version, extensions to integrate Google app features, a Gemini smartphone app, and more. Most of these new capabilities are available now or soon for Canadian users.
Confused about the alterations? Let me clarify:
- Bard was the original name of Google’s AI chatbot meant to compete with ChatGPT, Bing Chat, etc.
- Gemini is the underlying large language model behind Bard and other Google AI products. Gemini comes in 3 sizes – Nano, Pro, and Ultra – to power different applications.
So, to put things into perspective, Gemini is the AI “brain,” while Bard was one specific chatbot interface using Gemini. Now, for Canada, Google has rebranded Bard to just be called Gemini.
The key takeaway for AI fans is that Canadians can now access Google’s conversational AI abilities through the Gemini chatbot. With new capabilities like paid tiers and smartphone apps, Gemini aims to be more useful and accessible than ever for Canadian users.
Which Chatbot is ruling the AI world?
Chatbots powered by artificial intelligence (AI) are all the rage right now. Google, Microsoft, Meta, and others are racing to stay on top.
It all began when OpenAI launched ChatGPT in November 2022. This conversational AI chatbot showed just how intelligent these bots had become. It could understand questions and provide detailed, human-like responses on nearly any topic.
Google responded by announcing its own AI chatbot called Bard in February 2023. They opened early access to Bard in March, positioning it as a ChatGPT competitor. Meanwhile, Microsoft integrated ChatGPT into Bing search and Edge browser. Meanwhile, Meta (the parent company of Facebook & Instagram) released Meta AI for users to chat with.
Initially, Google brought Bard to over 230 countries last July. But they held off on launching it in Canada, along with a handful of other places like Russia and China. Google said they delayed Canada to ensure Bard worked well with French Canadian language needs.
