Google announced that its Gemini Live voice chat mode is now free for all Android users. The feature lets you have a natural, back-and-forth conversation with the AI assistant, much like what"s offered in ChatGPT"s voice chat capabilities.
This rollout of Gemini Live comes one month after it was first shown off at the launch event of Google"s Pixel 9 series. Where previously it was only available to subscribers of the Gemini Advanced tier, Google is opening it up to a much wider audience.
All Android users need to do to try out the new voice option is select the waveform icon located in the bottom right corner of the Gemini app or overlay. This turns on the microphone so that questions can be asked aloud. Once activated, Gemini Live opens into a full-screen mode, replete with "Hold" and "End" buttons at the bottom.
We"re starting to roll out Gemini Live in English to more people using the Android app, free of charge. Go Live to talk things out with Gemini, explore a new topic, or brainstorm ideas. Keep an eye out for Gemini Live in the Gemini app 👀 pic.twitter.com/0VL0c7E6Gw
— Google Gemini App (@GeminiApp) September 12, 2024
It is really conversational since users can interrupt what the AI is saying with new information or directions. This feature can be enabled to provide multiple voice choices for the assistant, making the tone and personality of the assistant appeal more to a user"s lip references.
For now, the company said Gemini Live is available in English only, but Google is promising that additional languages will be supported sometime in the future. Support for Gemini Live will also eventually arrive on iOS.
The feature also does not yet integrate with Gemini Extensions, which provide access to other Google services like Gmail and YouTube Music. Still, this capability is expected to be introduced in the coming months.