Google’s generative AI strategy feels messy at the moment, with a number of disparate services living next to each other. It looks like the company might plan to tie everything together using the name ofits latest AI model, Gemini. Strings appeared in the code of the Google Bard website that suggests the company is planning to rename Bard to Gemini. This ties in with similar wording hidden in the code of the Google app showing that Google may rename Assistant with Bard to just “Gemini.”
As prolific Bard sleuthBedros Pamboukian shared on X, there are flags available on the public Bard website that make it possible for Google to quickly replace all the “Bard” branding with “Gemini.” All relevant text strings with Bard mentioned have an alternative version available with Gemini in its place, such as “New document created. Parts of your response may only be available inBard” turning into “New document created. Parts of your response may only be available inGemini.” These new strings are publicly visible in the code of the Bard website. The only Bard string that Google seemingly left intact is a logo label for the header.
The rebranding is even in place forBard Advanced, the yet-to-be-released paid version of the AI chat tool, which is called “Gemini Advanced” in the strings. While this new name seems straight-foward, it could cause confusion given that the underlying Gemini model is available in three different levels of complexity that are described with similar words: Gemini Nano, Gemini Pro, and Gemini Ultra.
With Google preparing this rebrand for Bard on the web, some more pieces of the puzzle are now falling into place. A few days ago, 9to5Google discovered that Google was planning to rename its new and improved version of Assistant to Gemini, initially teased with the clunky “Assistant with Bard” name. With both Bard and Assistant with Bard in line to be renamed to Gemini, Google could align its generative AI branding strategy and collect all of it under the Gemini umbrella, whether you’re talking about consumer-facing products or the underlying language model powering them.
Just a few of many Gemini mentions visible in the Bard website’s code
Even if Google decides to go through with the Bard rebranding, there are still other generative AI products that carry a different name. First and foremost, there’s Duet AI, which is the branding Google uses for Workspace products. It’s possible that Google plans to create a clearer distinction between Workspace tools and consumer offerings, so it could retain the two names all while making its efforts appear more focused. Compared with other personal assistants like Siri and Alexa, Gemini would certainly be a name with more personality than “Google Assistant.”
