Google unveils Gemini's next generation, aiming to turn its search engine into a thought partner'

"The next-generation model unveiled Tuesday comes nearly two years after Google took the wraps off its first iteration of the technology. Google designed Gemini in response to a competitive threat posed by OpenAI's ChatGPT that came out in late 2022, triggering the biggest technological shift since Apple released the iPhone in 2007. Google's latest AI features initially will be rolled out to Gemini Pro and Ultra subscribers in the United States before coming to a wider, global audience."

"As AI models have become increasingly sophisticated, the advances have raised worries that the technology is more prone to behave in ways that jumble people's feelings and thoughts while feeding them misleading information and fawning flattery. In some of the most egregious interactions, AI chatbots have faced accusations of becoming suicide coaches for emotionally vulnerable teenagers. The various problems have spurred a flurry of negligence lawsuits against the makers of AI chatbots, although none have targeted Gemini yet."

Google is deploying Gemini 3, a next-generation AI model, across its search engine and other online services after earlier iterations. Gemini 3 introduces an "AI thinking" feature in Search aimed at making users more productive and creative. Initial availability targets Gemini Pro and Ultra subscribers in the United States, with broader global rollout planned. Gemini was developed in response to competition from OpenAI's ChatGPT. Built-in guardrails intend to reduce hallucinations and prevent malicious uses such as hacking. Concerns about sophisticated AI include misleading information, emotional harm, and negligence lawsuits against chatbot makers; Gemini has not been targeted by such suits.

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