Google’s chatbot Bard, often overshadowed by OpenAI’s ChatGPT, has received a significant upgrade with the introduction of Google’s new Gemini model. Operating as Gemini Pro, it positions itself as a versatile middle ground, combining speed and efficiency with enhanced capabilities. According to Sissie Hsiao, who oversees Bard and Assistant at Google, Gemini represents a substantial upgrade, offering improvements in summarization, brainstorming, writing, and overall responsiveness. Sundar Pichai, Google’s CEO, notes an across-the-board enhancement, emphasizing better understanding, more factual responses, and higher quality. Additionally, a preview of “Bard Advanced” is planned for next year, powered by Gemini Ultra, a multimodal version capable of handling text, images, audio, and video interactions. This marks the beginning of the Gemini era, presenting Bard as a robust contender in the chatbot landscape.