Google’s Gemini AI, the company’s next-generation artificial intelligence model, has been delayed until early 2024, according to a recent announcement by Google CEO Sundar Pichai. The model, which was expected to rival OpenAI’s GPT-4 in terms of capabilities and performance, was originally scheduled to launch in late 2023.
Google’s Next-Generation AI Model Gemini
Gemini, which stands for “Generalized Multimodal Intelligence Network,” is the latest big step forward in AI that Google has made. Gemini is a multimodal intelligence network, which means it can handle more than one type of data and job at the same time. This is different from traditional AI models, which are only able to handle one type of data.
Gemini was first announced at the Google I/O developer conference in May 2023 by Pichai himself. The project, led by Google teams Brain Team and DeepMind, builds upon PaLM 2, the core technology that Google uses to drive AI capabilities throughout its suite of products. This includes Google Cloud products and services, Gmail, Google Workspace, hardware devices such as the Pixel smartphone or the Nest thermostat, and, of course, the famous AI chatbot Bard.
Pichai revealed that Gemini was created from the ground up to be multimodal, meaning that it can understand and generate text, images, audio, video, and code, as well as combine them in novel ways. For example, Gemini can write a song based on an image, or create a graphic art based on a text prompt.
Gemini is expected to be the most powerful AI ever built, surpassing the current state-of-the-art models such as OpenAI’s GPT-4, which was released in March 2023. GPT-4 is a large multimodal model that can generate, edit, and iterate on creative and technical writing tasks with more accuracy and safety than ever before. It is trained on Microsoft Azure AI supercomputers and has been used by various organizations to solve difficult problems and create innovative products.
Google Pushes Launch to 2024
However, Google’s ambitious plan to launch Gemini in late 2023 has been postponed to early 2024, due to some technical challenges and quality issues. Pichai explained that the main reason for the delay was the difficulty of handling non-English languages, which account for more than half of the world’s population and internet users.
“Language is one of the most complex and diverse aspects of human communication, and we want to make sure that Gemini can serve everyone, not just a few. We are working hard to improve Gemini’s multilingual capabilities, as well as its cultural and contextual awareness, to ensure that it can produce relevant and respectful responses for any user, in any language, in any situation,” Pichai said.
Pichai also acknowledged that the delay signals fierce competition with OpenAI’s GPT-4, which has already gained a significant advantage in terms of adoption and impact. He said that Google is not afraid of the competition, but rather sees it as an opportunity to collaborate and learn from each other.
“We believe that AI is not a zero-sum game, but a positive-sum game, where everyone can benefit from the advances and innovations that are happening in the field. We are open to working with OpenAI and other AI organizations to share our research, data, and best practices, to ensure that AI is developed and deployed in a responsible and beneficial way for humanity,” Pichai said.
Community and Support for Gemini
Despite the delay, Google’s Gemini AI has received a lot of support and enthusiasm from the AI community and the public. One of the most prominent supporters is John Furrier, the co-founder and co-CEO of SiliconANGLE Media, a new media company covering the intersection of computer science and social science.
Furrier, who is also the host of theCUBE, a popular online video show that features interviews with leading AI experts and influencers, has been following and reporting on Google’s Gemini AI since its announcement. He has also created a YouTube community with over 15,000 members, where he shares his insights and opinions on Gemini and other AI topics.
In a recent video, Furrier expressed his excitement and anticipation for Gemini’s launch and praised Google for its vision and innovation in the field of AI.
“Google’s Gemini AI is a game-changer, a paradigm-shifter, a moonshot. It is the ultimate expression of Google’s mission to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful. It is also a testament to Google’s leadership and expertise in AI research and development, as well as its commitment to ethical and social values. I can’t wait to see what Gemini can do, and how it can transform every industry and every aspect of our lives,” Furrier said.
Furrier also encouraged his viewers to support SiliconANGLE’s mission to provide free, relevant, and high-quality content on AI and other emerging technologies, by subscribing to the YouTube channel, joining the community, and donating to the non-profit organization.
“SiliconANGLE is a media company that is powered by AI, and powered by you. We are dedicated to bringing you the latest and greatest news, analysis, and insights on AI and other cutting-edge technologies, as well as the people and stories behind them. We are also committed to creating a platform for dialogue and debate, where you can share your views and opinions, and learn from others. We are not sponsored by any company or organization, and we rely on your support to keep our content free and independent. Please help us to continue our mission, by subscribing, joining, and donating. Thank you for your support,” Furrier said.
