Google on Thursday announced a major rebrand of Bard, its artificial intelligence chatbot and assistant, including a fresh app and subscription options. Google also announced new ways for consumers to access the AI tool: As of Thursday, Android users can download a new dedicated Android app for Gemini, and iPhone users can use Gemini within the Google app on iOS. Likewise, chief executives at tech giants from Microsoft to Amazon underlined their commitment to building AI agents as productivity tools. Google's Gemini changes are a first step to "building a true AI assistant," Sissie Hsiao, a vice president at Google and general manager for Google Assistant and Bard, told reporters on a call Wednesday. Currently, though, the tools, including Gemini, are largely limited to tasks such as summarizing, generating to-do lists or helping to write code.

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Persons: Bard, OpenAI's, Sundar Pichai, Pichai, Sissie Hsiao, There's, Google's Hsiao, Hsiao Organizations: Google, Bard, Microsoft, GE, Spotify, Pfizer, Gemini Locations: Korean