Google To Expand Gemini Access to Cars and Televisions

What Happened?

Google is set to release Android 16 in June, which will include the replacement of Google Assistant with Gemini Live. Gemini Live is an offshoot of Google’s Gemini AI program, but with Android 16 Google will make Gemini Live available not only for smartphones but also for virtual reality headsets, televisions, and even automobiles.

Representatives from Google emphasized that Gemini would differ depending on where it is being used. According to PC Mag, using Gemini in Wear OS and Android Auto will require a data connection, said Guemmy Kim, senior director of product and UX for Android. But in cars with Google built-in, such as Ford and Polestar, Gemini will offer limited offline support.

Why it Matters

By providing shorter and more concise answers to questions and queries, Gemini is another step towards what Brandrank.AI CEO Pete Blackshaw calls ‘the answer economy.’ The way online searches are being conducted is changing thanks to artificial intelligence.

In the information economy, web users would type in a search query and Google would respond with information in the form of a list of potential links to click on. With AI programs like Gemini, but also ChatGPT and others, now web users will ask the AI program a question, and instead of a list of links they will receive an AI generated answer to their question.

What that means is more and more users stop scrolling after they read the AI answer. Instead of looking through a list of links, now a growing number of web users don’t look beyond the AI provided answer to their question. That means fewer clicks and less engagement for businesses and individuals who don’t show up well when the AI crawlers search the web. Being invisible to the AI crawlers can now mean being invisible on the web. 

Google’s expansion of Gemini beyond smartphones represents the tech giant’s attempt to adapt to a rapidly changing digital landscape. As more and more people stop ‘Googling’ information online and turn to AI programs, the search giant stands to lose its dominance of the internet search empire. 

Whether Gemini will be competitive in the answer economy depends on the quality of the responses it provides to user queries. If the answers it provides are accurate and relevant, then the number of people using it may grow. But if Gemini provides substandard or irrelevant responses, then users may turn away from it.

How it Affects You

Gemini could be another addition to a growing AI landscape, providing users with a faster way to answer online questions and queries. For businesses seeking to get noticed online, failure to get noticed by AI crawlers could mean a loss of visibility and ultimately revenue as the number of customers declines because more online users won’t be able to see them.