Explaining Google’s Gemini Gems AI and its Use Cases

AI has been all the rage since early 2023, when OpenAI made headlines for its advancements with ChatGPT.

02:29 19 September 2024

AI has been all the rage since early 2023, when OpenAI made headlines for its advancements with ChatGPT. Since then, various models of generative AI have launched, including Google’s own Gemini platform. In August 2024, Google unveiled Gemini Gems, a new feature that allows users to create their own subject-matter experts from home. 

Upgrading Google Search

If you need an introduction to Gemini, simply ask Google a question. You’ll likely receive an AI Overview written by Gemini, now integrated into Google Chrome. This is just one of many tweaks Google has made to improve search, to the benefit of both users and online businesses.

Google continually upgrades its search engine because so many businesses rely on the internet to promote products and services. Every business, even brick-and-mortar ones, should have an online presence. Some business models wouldn’t exist without the internet, like e-commerce, streaming, or iGaming services. These industries enable users to stream a TV show or visit an online casino site from Paddy Power, which offers digital slot games and live streams of blackjack, roulette, and other table games. All of these services, to some extent, rely on discoverability within Google’s search algorithm.

To enhance this, Gemini now creates a 'position zero' placement at the top of every results page, which summarises answers by scraping content from top-ranked pages and recommending them to users via citations. 

By understanding how Google’s AI-assisted search functions, you’ll gain better insight into Gemini and its capabilities. This knowledge is especially important if you plan to work with Gemini Gems, as it involves moulding an AI model into your very own expert guide.

Gemini Gem Experts

Put simply, Gemini Gems are specialised AI models created to act as experts in particular subjects. Services like ChatGPT and basic Gemini model work by drawing from a general pool of internet knowledge. They use natural language processing (NLP) to understand user inputs and generate responses aimed at fulfilling requests, with varying levels of success. You can learn more about NLP from AWS, another key player in the burgeoning AI industry.

One of the standout features of these AI tools is their ability to engage in conversation, allowing users to provide feedback or clarify requests when the AI's response isn't quite right. Gemini Gems builds on this interactivity by enabling users to create and train their own subject-matter experts. To create a Gem, users simply provide an instruction and a name, which opens a chat box where the user can coach the AI to achieve the desired level of expertise. For instance, users can feed the AI specific information so it can better understand industry-specific terminology.

While casual users may not have much need for an AI expert, these features are only available with Gemini Advanced, Business or Enterprise plans. In Google’s own Gemini Gems announcement, they give examples of what these Gems can be used for. These include coding partners, writing editors, or just an enthusiastic brainstormer who can help you think of fresh ideas on the fly. These pre-made Gems can be selected directly from the Gemini dashboard.

The real test of Gems will come when users try to create their own experts, instead of Google’s suggested use cases. It's also likely that Google will introduce more pre-made Gems in the future as popular use cases emerge. Once established, these Gems could serve as virtual assistants, particularly valuable to workers in tech and related sectors.