Google I/O 2024: 5 Gemini Features That Could Lure Users from Copilot

Remember the buzz around ChatGPT back in late 2022? It was so electrifying that it spurred Google into action, launching their own chatbot, then called Bard, just four months later. Since then, this AI, now known as Gemini, has been on a rollercoaster ride, with numerous upgrades and a complete rebrand to its name. Despite all the enhancements from LaMDA to PaLM 2 to Gemini Pro, Gemini hasn't quite captured the public's heart like its competitors. With Google I/O, the annual developer event, just around the corner, we're all eager to see what new tricks Google has up its sleeve to make Gemini more appealing.

Having followed Gemini's journey closely and tinkered with various other AI chatbots, I've pinpointed some key features that could elevate Gemini's user experience and make it a strong contender against my go-to AI, Copilot.

A More Immersive Gemini Experience on iOS

It's a no-brainer that Google should make Gemini more appealing to iOS users. Since the rebrand in February, Google has been touting Gemini as an AI assistant that goes beyond the typical chatbot, and it's done a stellar job with Android phones. Android users who download the Gemini app can enjoy seamless integrations, like using Gemini in place of Google Assistant, an overlay feature that lets Gemini see what's on their screen, and even voice commands to set timers. But iOS users? They're stuck with accessing Gemini through the Google app. It's a missed opportunity, especially when many Apple users rely on Google as their search engine. They'd love to try Gemini as their assistant, especially since Apple hasn't rolled out its own AI chatbot yet. Take a page from Microsoft Copilot's book, which is currently ranking #22 in the App Store's Productivity category. If Google wants Gemini to be an everyday AI assistant, iOS users deserve a standalone app.

Automatic Footnotes

When you ask Gemini a question, it responds without any footnotes or source links. Sure, it has a "double-check with Google" feature to help you verify its answers, but it requires an extra step that can break your flow. And when you do use it, sometimes Gemini admits that Google Search couldn't find relevant content for parts of its response, which can shake your confidence in its reliability. Considering Gemini's internet connectivity, unlike ChatGPT, Google should leverage this to build trust. Adding clickable footnotes directly to the answers, like Copilot does, would be a game-changer.

Document Uploads

Gemini's already a multimodal marvel, handling voice and image prompts alongside text. But imagine if it could also import documents. That would open up a whole new world of possibilities. Take Anthropic's Claude, for instance, which lets users upload documents for free. It's a huge advantage because it allows users to work with their everyday materials. Whether you need a research paper summarized, a contract explained, or have questions about a PDF, document-reading AI chatbots are incredibly useful. Plus, adding this feature would give Gemini an edge over ChatGPT, which only offers document uploads in its premium version, ChatGPT Plus, at $20 a month.

Improved Privacy Controls

Opening Gemini greets you with a rather unsettling message: "Your conversations are processed by human reviewers to improve the technologies powering Gemini Apps. Don't enter anything you wouldn't want reviewed or used." Digging deeper, you find out that even if you turn off Gemini Apps Activity, your chats are still saved for up to 72 hours. It's a bit of a contradiction, and while it's true that AI models learn from user inputs, many other chatbots let users opt out completely, with no chats saved at all. OpenAI, for example, has allowed users to opt out of data training since April 2023 and recently added a Temporary Chat option. Given the growing awareness of data privacy among AI users, Google needs to address these concerns and offer a clearer, more comprehensive opt-out option to encourage more use of Gemini.

Focus More on Gemini Than on Forcing SGE

Google's been pushing hard to popularize its AI models, integrating them into its search engine through the Search Generative Experience (SGE). SGE aims to provide quick, conversational answers at the top of search results, but it's been met with mixed reactions. Many users find it disrupts their regular search flow, and it's even appeared in search results without users opting in. Google confirmed in March 2024 that a small percentage of US search traffic would see SGE, but this forced exposure is leaving a sour taste. Instead of pushing SGE, Google should focus on making Gemini more enticing, so users are drawn to it naturally, rather than feeling forced into using AI features they're not ready for.