Google Upgrades Gemini With Faster 1.5 Flash AI Model

Google is rolling out the more powerful 1.5 Flash model for its Gemini AI chatbot, which is capable of generating faster responses, handling longer context windows, and better reasoning and image understanding. This model will now power the free Gemini version on web and mobile, previously running on the Gemini 1.0 Pro large language model (LLM). The 1.5 Flash model is rolling out in 40 languages and 230 countries.

The search giant unveiled 1.5 Flash at its I/O annual conference in May. The Gemini 1.5 Flash is less powerful than the Gemini 1.5 Pro model but boasts significant advancements compared to its predecessor. Overall, 1.5 Flash is capable of faster processing and lower input/output costs. It also boasts an expanded context window from 8K to 32K tokens, available on the free tier.

Additionally, users on the free plan will soon be able to upload files via Google Drive or directly from a device, which was previously available only in Gemini Advanced. Capabilities like analyzing data files and preparing charts and graphs are also coming soon to the free Gemini plan.

Aside from upgrading the LLM that powers the chatbot’s free tier, Google introduced a few other Gemini updates. Gemini will now show links to related content for “fact-seeking prompts” to help easily verify the chatbot’s answers. Like rival ChatGPT, Gemini will show the links within its responses. This feature isn’t limited to websites. Gemini can also link to relevant emails when browsing with the Gmail extension.

In addition to related content links, Google powered Gemini with a double-check feature that relies on Google Search to verify the chatbot’s responses against the web. This feature points out which statements are supported or contradicted by resources on the web, making it easier to further fact-check contradicted information.

Moreover, Google is expanding the ability to chat with Gemini directly in Google Messages on select Android devices to the European Economic Area (EEA), UK, and Switzerland and adding new languages. The Gemini mobile app is also rolling out in more countries.

While most tech companies shy away from recommending their AI products to minors, Google suggests that Gemini could assist teens in creative and other tasks and provide them with a better understanding of school subjects. According to Google’s policies, teenagers at least 13 years or older (country-specific rules may apply) can manage their own Google account and take advantage of the new AI features.