Chatting with an artificial intelligence as naturally as with a friend — this is now a reality for millions of Android users. Google has made its advanced AI function, “Gemini Live”, available to everyone free of charge. This was officially announced by Google via X (formerly Twitter). Previously, compatible smartphones were dependent on a paid Google One subscription.
Google makes Gemini Live free albeit with one restriction
Until now, it was a very select group of Android users who were already able to use Gemini Live. This included, for instance, Antoine, who took a close look at the Pixel 9 Pro XL (review) for you. It was reserved for a few compatible handsets, and you also had to purchase the premium AI subscription at $20 a month with Google One to enjoy this AI, which not only inherited Google Assistant, but also talked to you very naturally.
I explained to you a few weeks ago how you can already use Gemini Live. The good news has now come from Google itself via the Gemini Live account on X: The Live feature is being rolled out to many more smartphones and is no longer tied to a paid subscription! The only catch? It only works in English so far.
We’re starting to roll out Gemini Live in English to more people using the Android app, free of charge. Go Live to talk things out with Gemini, explore a new topic, or brainstorm ideas. Keep an eye out for Gemini Live in the Gemini app 👀 pic.twitter.com/0VL0c7E6Gw
— Google Gemini App (@GeminiApp) September 12, 2024
There is also another catch: Yes, the rollout has begun and millions of devices will be able to enjoy it in the future, especially smartphones from Google and Samsung, but also brands such as Xiaomi. Unfortunately Gemini Live has not yet arrived on many devices. We will see how quickly this progresses over the next few days. The fact is, however, this great AI service is now being made much more accessible and many of us will soon be able to benefit from it.
Incidentally, Gemini will also be available on the iPhone, but there is still no sign of its availability to date. At the moment, the fun is still reserved for compatible Android smartphones. If you haven’t done so already, grab the Gemini app from Google Play right away and hope that the Gemini Live button with the stars appears as fast as possible in the bottom right-hand corner of the app.
The race for natural AI conversations
Following the example of OpenAI, which gave its chatbot ChatGPT voice capabilities with GPT-4, other tech giants are also striving for more natural AI conversations. While Google already launched a voice-enabled AI system on the market with Gemini Live, Apple also plans to develop Siri into a more advanced conversation partner by integrating Apple Intelligence. The launch of the first AI features on compatible iPhones is scheduled for October.
Why is this development exciting?
Google’s decision to offer Gemini Live for free is a major step forward. It democratizes access to advanced AI technology and places a lot of pressure on competitors (especially Apple) to catch up as quickly as possible. As a society, we all need access to advanced technologies like Gemini Live and Google has just pushed that door wide open.
What do you think? Have you already seen and used Gemini Live on your smartphone? Or are you more relaxed about it and perhaps not really excited about the feature?
