Google unifies "Bard" under the "Gemini" name — launches paid "Gemini Advanced" plan with Ultra 1.0
Google has fully unified the name of its conversational AI product from “Bard” to “Gemini.” bard.google.com now automatically redirects to gemini.google.com, and the Bard name is no longer used officially. Alongside the rename, Google announced “Gemini Advanced,” a paid plan offering access to the top-tier “Gemini Ultra 1.0” model, plus a dedicated Android app and integration into the Google app on iOS — announced personally by CEO Sundar Pichai.
Details
- Brand unification: Bard was renamed to Gemini across the board, including UI and domain. The old URL now redirects
- Gemini Advanced: A new premium plan powered by the Ultra 1.0 model, with enhanced coding, logical reasoning, complex instruction understanding, and contextual comprehension
- Pricing: Offered as part of the Google One AI Premium plan for $19.99 per month, with a two-month free trial
- Mobile rollout: A new dedicated Android app was released, while iOS users get Gemini integrated within the Google app
- Competitive backdrop: The same day, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella also posted comments praising his own company’s AI, drawing renewed attention to the rivalry between the two companies
What happened next
This unification marked the start of Gemini’s development as a single, unified brand. “Gemini 1.5,” with a dramatically expanded context length, arrived that same month, and “Gemini 2.0” followed in December 2024 — with Gemini Advanced continuing to this day as the core of Google’s paid AI subscription offering.