I just started my subscription of Gemini Advanced the other day. It definitely has improving to do. I didn’t expect to have so much difficulty with it. These are the problems I encountered on just the first day of experimenting:
- Could not create a grocery list that would go into my notes in Google Keep (I guess it’s not allowed to)
- It kept hearing me say “Kurian” instead of “Korean”, and I had no way to correct it nor teach it my pronunciation
- Had trouble suggesting games with similar mechanics to Suika (I wanted to find an alternative for the PC, since the original is on Nintendo Switch)
- Didn’t realize that Google Assistant had some features that Gemini does not, and had to choose between one or the other on my phone
My trial of Gemini Advanced is for two months, so I have plenty of time to experiment with it. I’d like to attempt to co-write some blog posts and articles with it, for both this blog and my other website. I’d also like it to assist me with content creation in general and develop those ideas.
I’m not too sure what else I’d use it for. Just now, I asked it to set some reminders. I’ll have to confirm if it works later.
One advantage of this subscription is that I have access to 2TB of cloud storage. I also wanted to use Gemini specifically for another work-related purpose. But beyond that, I don’t know how much use I’d get out of Gemini Advanced. I just asked it: “How are you different from Gemini Pro?” (Gemini Pro is the basic or free version.) Here is how it responded:
Gemini Pro and I (Gemini Enhanced) are both part of the Gemini family of large language models created by Google AI. However, there are a few key differences:
1. Scope of Abilities
- Gemini Pro: This is a capable language model well-suited for everyday tasks and factual information retrieval. It excels in basic communication, summaries, and following instructions efficiently.
- Gemini Advanced: I’m built on a more powerful foundation, enabling me to tackle more complex requests and generate more creative outputs. I’m better with nuanced tasks like brainstorming, reasoning through scenarios, and offering deeper analysis.
2. Training Data
- Gemini Pro: The primary focus here is factual accuracy and efficient task completion.
- Gemini Advanced: I’m trained on an even vaster dataset that includes more creative text formats, code, and other elements. This enables me to be more flexible in my responses and better understand abstract concepts.
3. Cost and Accessibility
- Gemini Pro: This is designed to be widely accessible and is often the default version experienced by users. It may be included in free Google services or offered at a lower subscription cost.
- Gemini Advanced: Due to my increased computational requirements, I’m likely to be accessible with higher-tier Google One subscriptions or may be specialized for business use cases.
Analogy:
Think of it like this:
- Gemini Pro is a reliable workhorse, great for getting the job done efficiently.
- Gemini Advanced is a powerhouse with extra gears, better for tackling complex projects or generating truly unique ideas.
Which is Right for You?
The best choice depends on your needs:
- For straightforward information, summaries, or basic task assistance, Gemini Pro is likely more than sufficient.
- If you need help with more open-ended creative tasks, brainstorming, or in-depth analysis, then my extra abilities in Gemini Advanced might be a better fit.
Let me know if you’d like a demonstration of how our responses to a specific task might differ!
Hmmm… I think I’d prefer it to be more factual, actually. Or, I’d like that option at the very least. I guess creative outputs can also be useful. But when I was trying to find alternatives to Suika, for example, it could not find me what I was looking for. I had to search for it myself on Steam (and yes, there were Suika alternatives).
I guess I will continue to experiment with Gemini Advanced. But so far, it does not live up to any hype. I think I actually preferred Bard when it first came out, especially for language learning. I’ll have to see how Gemini Advanced fares with helping me to practice Spanish or Korean in the coming weeks.
(By the way, the image of this blog post was generated by Gemini Advanced. I asked it the following: Generate an image of Gemini, the constellation, and display the text “Gemini Advanced” over it. It’s not an accurate representation of the constellation Gemini, probably due to its creativity factor vs. accuracy.)