How it works
Users can type, speak, or upload photos (e.g. a maths problem) to get an explanation. The app can talk back by reading answers aloud. It can be used as a coach to solve a problem or learn about something. However, generative AI chatbots can confidently present false information as fact. A user can save instructions for Gemini to use in all chats, such as ‘Use simple language and avoid jargon’. They can create a public link to share a chat.
A user can:
• Ask Gemini to research and summarise a topic or a long article
• Use ‘Gems’ to chat about specific topics
• Voice chat in real-time using the Gemini Live function
Gemini can be connected to other apps, where it can perform AI tasks like drafting a message or managing a calendar. It can search YouTube for a specific video, play music on Spotify or find a location on Google Maps. Keeping prompts short and only creating images when necessary helps reduce the environmental impact of AI models.
Parental controls or safety settings available
Gemini has no built-in parental controls and it cannot be used by children with supervised Google Accounts. A user can report harmful content on the app. They can prevent Google from using their chat history to train its AI models, but this also deletes their chat history and disables the ability to connect Gemini to other apps. A paid-for business account is needed to retain chat history without allowing its use for training.
Anyone can access a guest browser version of Gemini without logging in. This includes standard filters for explicit content.
