Google launches new Gemini versions, Gems and Imagen 3

Google continues to develop new AI solutions and this week introduced multiple updates to their Gemini models, personalized assistants called Gems and improved image generation with Imagen 3. These new developments show how Google continues to expand the functionality of their AI systems, taking a step forward in a rapidly changing market.

New Gemini versions: Flexibility and performance

Google has announced three new versions of their Gemini AI models, each with unique features and applications.

Gemini 1.5 Flash-8B

A more compact model that is still powerful enough for multimodal applications and processing large amounts of information. This model can summarize long texts, which is useful for companies that want to get a quick overview of extensive documents or data.

Gemini 1.5 Pro

Is designed for more specialized tasks, such as coding and complex jobs. Companies that deal a lot with technical issues or custom solutions can benefit from the improved performance of this model.

Gemini 1.5 Flash

Gemini 1.5 Flash has shown major performance improvements on several internal benchmarks. This model can be especially valuable for organizations looking to use AI for fast and efficient problem-solving tasks.

All of these models are available through Google AI Studio and the Gemini API, allowing developers and companies to test and customize them for their specific needs. These updates are labeled with the date "0827" to avoid confusion with earlier versions. On Sept. 3, the older Gemini 1.5 Pro Exp 0801 model was automatically replaced with the new 0827 version.

Creating your own AI assistants with Gems

In addition to the new Gemini models, Google is also introducing Gems, a new tool that allows users to create their own AI assistants. These personalized AI experts can be tailored to specific tasks or topics, similar to the customization features in tools such as ChatGPT, Microsoft's Co-pilot, and Claude. Gems makes it possible to create AI assistants specifically tailored to a user's workflow, which can significantly improve efficiency.

Google has also developed ready-to-use Gems, such as a brainstormer, a career advisor, a programming partner, and a writing editor. These preconfigured assistants can be used immediately for common tasks and are ideal for users who want to get started quickly.

We also tested our AI colleague Liza with Gems. Although easy to set up, the capabilities and results were disappointing for now. We will test this further and continue to monitor Gems developments.

Currently, Gems are only available to paying users of Gemini Advanced, Gemini Business, and Gemini Enterprise.

Image generation with Imagen 3

In addition to the Gemini updates and Gems, Google is also launching Imagen 3, a new version of their image generation model. Imagen 3 allows users to create images based on text prompts, allowing for a wide range of styles, such as photorealism, oil painting, and even clay animations.

This enhancement positions Google as a strong competitor to image generation platforms such as DALL-E 3, Midjourney, and Flux. Unfortunately, Imagen 3 is not currently available in the Netherlands, but this new functionality is expected to be rolled out worldwide soon.

What do these developments mean for businesses?

With the launch of these new AI applications, Google shows how committed they are to developing powerful tools that help organizations work faster and more efficiently. Whether it's improving word processing capabilities with Gemini, creating custom assistants with Gems, or generating high-quality images with Imagen 3, these innovations offer many opportunities for businesses.

Google's ongoing development of AI shows that we are only at the beginning of what is possible. The next step for organizations is to properly integrate these tools into their existing processes and train staff to use AI responsibly and effectively.

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